The Fourth Tournament
by The Wicked Witch of Dingl
Summary: Another tournament. More new faces. Bryan, Tala and Kai are back on the same team... but what's up with the triplets that form Astro V?
1. Prologue and Introduction to OCs

The Fourth Tournament

or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Note: After the third tournament, the bladers went back to their original teams, with the exception of Kai, who was replaced by Daichi.

Key: NMOC Non Major OC, Unfamiliar NameMajor OC

Pairings: Kai/Suzannah(Suzy) McGregor, Tala/NMOC, Johnny/NMOC, Robert/Kasrina (Kasi) Rosetti, Lee/Katryna (Katt) Morgan, Raul/Jessrayvhen (Jess) Morgan, Bryan/NMOC, Ray/Mariah, Mathilda/Iescie (Ici) Morgan, Brooklyn/NMOC, Garland/NMOC Hiro/NMOC, NMOC/NMOC, Mariam/Ozuma, Spencer/NMOC... I think that's it!

New Teams: Flying Stampede (Raul, Julia, King, Queen), Astro V. (Jess, Katt and Ici), BBA Team Stallion (Hiro, OC, OC, OC, OC)

Main Characters: Jess, Katt, Ici, Kasi, Bryan, Kai, Raul, Lee, Suzy.

Secondary Characters: The Majestics, The Blade Breakers, The White Tigers, All Starz, Biovolt Psykick

OC Main Character Profiles

Name: Katryna Morgan (Ka-tree-nah)

AKA: Katt

Team: Astro V.

Known Relatives: She's the middle triplet of Astro V.

Main Physical Feature: Black and blue striped hair that goes down to her waist, and black eyes that glow white when she attacks.

Cool Stuff: Cheerful and chirpy, Katt doesn't have many enemies...

Not So Cool Stuff: ... But the ones she does will pay!

Beyblade: Scorpius

Form: Giant scorpion

Beyblade Special Attack: Sun Star Formation; Hands of Water; Scorpion Sting

Rating: 5/5

Name: Jessrayvhen Morgan (Jess-ray-ven)

AKA: Jess

Team: Astro V.

Known Relatives: Eldest triplet of Astro V.

Main Physical Feature: Black, red, orange and yellow striped hair in bunches and black eyes that glow white when she attacks.

Cool Stuff: Extremely tall, she is fiercely defendant of the ones she loves.

Not So Cool Stuff: Unfortunately, She doesn't take kindly to losing.

Beyblade: Sagittario

Form: Centaur with bow of fire

Beyblade Special Attack: Arrows of Fire; Sun Star Formation; Burning Spirit; Fountains of Fire

Rating: 5/5

Name: Iescie Morgan (Eye-ee-sea)

AKA: Ici (Ee-sea)

Team: Astro V.

Known Relatives: Youngest triplet of Astro V.

Main Physical Feature: Smallet beyblader on the planet! Also has black eyes that glow white when he attacks.

Cool Stuff: Highly intelligent, he can speak to bit beasts.

Not So Cool Stuff: Can get a bit of a head on at times.

Beyblade: Virgo

Form: Beautiful Woman

Beyblade Special Attack: Sun Star Formation; Words of the Magi; Castles of Air

Other Bit Beast: Aquaria

Rating: 4/5

Name: Kasrina Rosetti (Kaz-ree-nah)

AKA: Kasi (Kaz-eye)

Team: Blitzkreig Omega

Known Relatives: Kai's her younger brother.

Main Physical Feature: Extremely beautiful, long black hair, wrapped around her head in a plait, with the remainder of the plait hanging down her back (Think young Mm Giry). Strict vegan.

Cool Stuff: She's very sporty and plays netball and does gymnastics and swimming as well as beyblading.

Not So Cool Stuff: Her bitbeast's attack attacks the blader, not the blade.

Beyblade: Black Onyx (actually made of obsidian)

Form: Large black bird, with glowing violet eyes, uncannily similar to Kasi's own.

Beyblade Special Attack: Evil Eye; Scarlet Eye of Vengeance; Protection of the Weak

Rating: 5/5

Name: Suzannah McGregor

AKA: Suzy

Team: Majestics

Known Relatives: Johnny's her brother, younger sister Jo, dead sister Grace.

Main Physical Feature: Long red hair, flyaway, spikes out.

Cool Stuff: Being a Majestic, she has morals.

Not So Cool Stuff: Hanging around Kasi has increased her violent nature.

Beyblade: Hydralyon

Form: A mythological Hydra, ten heads, each head can take a different form.

Beyblade Special Attack: Achain Airson an Laidir

Rating: 4/5

Prologue

_Change is coming. I can feel it in the winds._

_The winds that bring the ships to the abbey. The winds that control Bryan's blade._

_All one and the same._

_All you who come to this mystical and ancient land will suffer._

_All you who dare challenge them will suffer._

_All you who know the magi will suffer._

_There will be no escape from the pain._

_The fiercest, most emotionless blader cannot withstand the pain without crying out._

_And all you who love will suffer._

_Whether it be friendship, sibling, romantic, you will suffer._

_Whether you can endure it._

_It's up to you._

When she opened her eyes, it was dark.


	2. Chapter 1: Where We Encounter Astro V

The Fourth Tournament

or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Chapter 1

6:30am.

A minute later, a hand reached out and slapped the alarm clock into silence.

Katryna Morgan sighed and swung herself out of bed.

Iescie Morgan looked up from his laptop briefly to give her a nod, then put his other headphone in and continued talking to his attention-seeking bitbeast.

Jessrayvhen Morgan turned over in her sleep.

"Jess?" Katryna, from hereon called Katt, stood over the sleeping teenager. It was obvious she was asleep. Katt turned around to Iescie (hereby called Ici) to ask what to do. Unbeknownst to Katt, Jess opened a black eye to look at her sister's back, then turned over and pretended to be asleep again. Unbeknownst to Jess, Katt had a bucket of water in her hands.

A few minutes later, they were all up and ready. The only sign of the chaos that had previously occupied the abandoned warehouse was the fact Jess was still wringing out her fiery coloured hair and darting basilisk like glares to Katt.

"Right then, what do we want for breakfast?" Katt said, rubbing her hands together.

"Food." Jess grunted, before running off in the direction of the bakers. Katt shrugged her shoulders and ran off towards the dairy, wheares Ici took the main route of the market stalls.

Jess ambled past the bakers, her nose in the air, smelling the warm bread. Her hand darted towards the bread, but she saw the baker's apprentice watching her warily. She walked casually up to the counter.

"Excuse me," Jess said, putting on her upperclass English voice, a rare sound in the Asian-Russian city of Anadyr. "But what is the special this morning?" The apprentice turned around to check the board and Jess, quick as a flash, grabbed three loaves of bread off the stand and bolted.

"It's honey and sesam-" The apprentice look around for the fiery headed teen, but Jess was an expert. She was long gone.

"Oof!" Jess cursed as she landed on her butt.

"Watch where you're going!" A lavender haired boy glared at her angrily.

"Me? You're the one who needs a haircut!" He raised a hand to his hair selfconciously.

"Well, it's obvious that you've been nicking." He growled in her ear. Jess raised an eyebrow threateningly. "POL-" He got no further. Jess kicked him in the shin and ran for it.

Katt pressed her nose up against the dairy window longingly. Luckily, the dairymaid was a warm and friendly woman. Katt walked in, making a mental note to herself that today she was Greek.

"Three pints of milk please." She said politely. She was fine with being Greek, but why the politeness? The friendly dairywoman poured out a lot more than three pints, but Katt 'forgot' to mention it. She searched in her pockets for her purse.

"Oh no!" She said, running a hand through her straight hair. "My money! Mother must have forgotton to give me it!"

"Never mind, dearie. You look like you could use a good pint of milk." And she put the bottles in a bag and winked, handing it to Katt in the process. Katt pretended to put some money in her palm, then walked out.

As she made her way down the street, she was aware of someone watching her. A red headed boy with the iciest blue eyes she'd ever seen was staring at her, as if he could see into her soul. She glared back, but her glare was nowhere near the basilisk glares Jess could throw at a person. Katt pretended she couldn't see him, but as she wandered down the street, she was aware of his eyes still watching, narrowed, like he knew her game. She shuddered and was glad when she turned the corner.

Ici shouldered his backpack. He hated it when he was on fruit duty. It meant that he was always being watched. He wasn't as quick as his elder sisters at this whole 'borrowing lark'.

"Yes?" The brutish lout of a stallkeeper glared at him.

"Umm..." Ici thickened his natural Russian accent thoughtfully. "Some... pineapples please. No, not those ones!" he hurriedly said as the shopkeeper reached for the ones in front. "The little ones, at the back. I don't have enough money for the big ones." he watched as the man turned around and began to drop the fruit in front of him into his sack. Then, he bolted, praying the shopkeeper was too slow to keep up with him. But lady luck wasn't on his side, and he felt the shopkeeper's large hand grab his shoulder.

"Are you going to pay for those, sonny?" He growled.

"He left his money at home. He's my little brother." A voice came from behind him, one that Ici didn't recognise.

"Mister Hiwatari!" Ici's eyes widened as he heard the name. Everyone in Russia had heard of the Hiwatari's, be you form the east or the west.

"Indeed. I came to give him the money, but it seems _Scott_ couldn't wait for some fresh fruit." Ici watched as Hiwatari handed over the money, then walked off. He followed him, then turned at a different turning.

_That was close. Too close._ He thought as he wandered home.

Hours later, after a good breakfast, the Morgan triplets curled up on the old sofa in what they called the front room of the warehouse. Jess was polishing her beyblade, Sagittario, of bloodstains. Katt was scanning outside, looking to see if _he_ was there. Ici was surfing the net, Aquaria chirping away about rising up against the rules.

"Any sign, Katt?" Jess asked, holding Sagittario up to the light.

"Nothing, thank god. Maybe he really has given up on us." Katt said, turning her head to look at her sister. Ici kept quiet, looking at his email.

"Hey, girls, check this out!" He suddenly chirruped, making them jump. They rushed over to peer over Ici's shoulder as he showed them the email alert he had just recieved.

_Dear blader(s)_(it read)

_I am delighted to inform you that the BBA has decided to host another World Championships. As you are aware, after the troublesome tournament of last year, where there were some despicable cheating going on, we had thought about cancelling. But, due to the plentiful amount of letters we have recieved, we have decided to go against the winds and host the fourth world tournament._

_Please take note of the places down below, where the qualifiers will be held. The two teams that get to the finals of each qualifier will be accepted into the tournament._

_Good luck, and good blading!_

_Stanley Dickinson_

Ici scanned the qualifiers and found the Russian one. His face fell. "It's in Moscow! We can't get to Moscow on no money!"

"No such word as can't, Pip." Jess said, sitting back down. "It's fate that you got that letter. And fate will make sure we get there in time."

"When is it, Pip? Two weeks away? We can do it. We've done it before." Pip was the affectionate name the girls used for their little brother on occasions where he tried to take care of them. He grinned up at them.

"What are we waiting for? Lets get going then!"

**Oof! Chapter One complete! That was hard. Remember, pronuonciation was in the last chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy this story, coming from Naioka1992 and The Wicked Witch of Dinglewell!**

**R&R!**


	3. Chapter 2: Where Bryan gets annoyed

The Fourth Tournament

or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Chapter 2

A lot of things got Bryan Kyznetsov annoyed. Human beings. Happiness. Boris Balkov. Flowers. Michael Parker. But nothing as annoying as the impudent street rat that bumped into him in Anadyr!

Above all things, Bryan hated people daring to even hint that he was anything less than perfect.

Despite this, he'd had quite a few girlfriends, for, despite his moody demeanor and threatening behaviour, he really was rather handsome. Ok, quite a few girlfriends was actually two. But, hey. It was more than you'd ever expect.

Girlfriend Number 1: Sierra Valputin. Exceedingly pretty, the Spanish-Russian teen had stolen his heart, damn her! But, in the end, she ran off with Michael Parker. That was one of the many reasons he hated Parker.

Girlfriend Number 2: Emma Stevens. No one knew exactly why Bryan had fallen for the ordinary English school girl, but he had. She was practically the opposite of Bryan, with her happy-go-lucky attitude and large blue eyes that always revealed what she was really feeling. She wasn't even that pretty, with mousy brown hair that feel around her shoulders in a messy way.

He still hated happiness, all the same.

Tala Ivanov rewound the news bulletin in his head. _New beyblade tournament? After last time? _Yeah, he was all for forgive and forget, but Garland has caused _scars_. Not even Ray, goody-two-shoes that he was, had forgiven Bryan after the attack in the finals. Sure, people said forgiveness was as vital as air. But Tala was breathing quite well without it, thank you.

There was a knock at the door of his dorm that he shared with Bryan, Spencer and Ian. Tala ignored it, expecting it to be one of the idiotic younger ones who cherryknocked.

"Tala Ivanov, I know you're in there. If you don't open this door in precisely five seconds, I'll come in and open it with your face!" Tala jumped as he heard Kai's voice through the air vent. "Oh yes, and Kasi's here as well..." Tala bolted for the door as Kai began to count down.

"Six seconds, Tala!" Kasi grinned at him, her huge violet eyes sparkling. Displaying remarkable strength for a girl, she lifted up Tala and turned him upside down.

"I tripped over!" Tala insisted as she tickled him. Ignoring the antics of his sister and best friend, Kai pushed past and perched precariously on the edge of Tala's bed. Bryan's eyes were closed as he listened to heavy rock music and Kai had to poke him several times before he would open an eye. Bryan glared daggers at the fifteen year old and would have closed his eyes again, but he caught sight of Kasi in the corner of the room. Not even Bryan would cross Kasi.

"You're coming to live with me." Kai said as soon as Kasi had dropped Tala and Bryan had finally prised one of his headphones out.

"Why?" Bryan asked, pushing a strand of his lavender hair behind his ear.

"New beyblade tournament. I don't fancy Boris listening into every word.

"All of us?" Tala asked.

"Hester, you ugly lot, everyone." Kai said. "I'll be back in an hour and I expect you all to be packed." With that, Kai swept out the room, Kasi following.

"Is it just me, or does he get more like Voltaire everyday?" Bryan grumbled, beginning to pack his bags.

"I heard that!" Came an unexpected reply.

Ian twitched in the limo seats. The thirteen year old Russian was not used to sitting still. Bryan glared at him, daring him to move again. Emma's mouth twitched mischeviously and she whispered something in Bryan's ear.

"Deal." He muttered and Ian squirmed under the intense stare of the lavender haired Russian.

"Are we there yet?" He whined, hoping the answer would be a 'yes'. Emma gave a whoop of joy and punched the air in glee.

"That's another win to me!" Bryan slouched down further in his seat, seemingly concentrating on boring a hole in the seat in front of him.

Ian stared out the window. It must be the betting game that the elders played. They let Ian listen in occasionally, and what he had gathered was that they would bet on something, maybe even as simple as whether or not he would say 'are we there yet?' and then the winner would collect whatever they had staked.

"If there is any damage to my car, Bryan Kyznetsov, then I will personally watch as Kasi disembowls you." Kai's voice floated back.

"Does Ian count as part of the car?" Bryan asked, closing his eyes.

"Yes!"Came the answer and Bryan growled angrily. Ian smirked and began tapping out a random tune on the armrest. Bryan's left eye began to twitch. His hands drew together of their own accord and seemed to be a strangling an imaginary person. Ian's smirk widened and he changed the tune. Bryan endured a few more seconds.

"GOD! Are we there yet!" he screamed.

"Yup." Kasi's voice floated back this time.

Ian was the first one out of the car, closely pursued by Bryan.

"How big's your garden, Kai?" Tala asked, amused by his team mates antics. Kai looked up, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

"About... 3 acres?" he hazarded a guess.

"That'll keep them busy then!" Tala grinned, grabbing both his and Ian's suitcases and lugging them up the grand steps to Hiwatari Manor.

Kasi sighed.

It was going to be a long tournament.

**How was that? I was trying to make Bryan as he's portrayed in the anime, but I think he might be a tad OC. Same with Ian, as he doesn't really seem to do anything.**

**Thanks to A Little Match Girl, Chapter 9 of Threshold was awesome!**

**R&R!**


	4. Chapter 3: Boris Reflects

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Chapter 3

Boris Balkov sat back in his chair, savouring the peaceful moment. He poured himself another glass of vodka and closed his eyes.

This time, he'd gone for older bladers; Kane, Salima and Jim. Three of the team his very good friend Dr. Gideon had put together to challenge the Blade Breakers. Boris clenched his fists at the mere thought of the ungrateful brats he had raised that had left him, that had betrayed him and then dared to challenge him.

Ian had never really been worth the trouble from the start. The youngest 'Blitzkrieg Boy' had only a sprinkling of raw talent, and he didn't work hard enough.

Spencer had some talent, but he also had a dream. Being the oldest, Spencer had spent most of his life around young children and wanted to be some sort of helper to them. A waste of talent, but he had a strong will that would not be broken. He joined the Demolition Boys because they were his friends, but didn't enjoy the fact he battled Kai in the final. Boris was glad he was out the way.

Tala, on the other hand, was different. The red headed Russian from St. Petersburg was bursting with talent and charm. Giving him Wolborg had been a good decision; the red head was the only one that could tame the stubborn wolf. Takes one to know one, Boris thought.

Bryan. Boris would never admit it, but Bryan scared him sometimes. Falborg had come from deep within the silent blader. Boris didn't know if it was a throw over from his childhood high up in the Ural Mountains, but Bryan didn't seem to need to breathe, didn't need to live. He just was. The raw strength in that blader was not training from Boris, but strenuous working that Bryan had submitted himself to. Bryan and Falborg worked as one to destroy both the blader and the blade. Boris wished he could have him back.

The ones that came to Boris' head next were not former Demolition Boys, well, apart from Kai, but they had been trained by Boris and, to some extent, Voltaire. And, they too, had left.

Hester Mandarin. At fourteen, the girl reminded Boris so much of what he had been like as a child. But then, it was to be expected. She was Boris' daughter, after all. She was gutsy, fiery, cheeky, spunky… The list went on and on. She and her bitbeast Zendare could terrorise a match. She'd never really been that close to him, and, at the split of the Abbey, had followed her boyfriend, Tala, to freedom. How Boris wished he could have the redhead's neck between his hands!

Kasi Rosetti. Boris admitted that it had been partly his fault they lost her. At the age of six, she had lost her mother. For a long time, she had blamed Kai for that. The process had been sweet, kidnapping a five year old Kai, making the police think that the parents had done something to him, her mother dying of stress and her father eventually signing her over to Boris' tender care. She had undergone the same rigorous training as the boys, but her emotions weren't stamped out completely. They were still there, slowly being awakened by both Robert Jagen and Kai. He'd never quite been able to wipe the small smirk off her face. And then, she'd overheard Boris and Voltaire talking and realised that they had lied to her. Boy, did they pay. Now she was one of the best bladers in the world, but no one could trace her back to Boris unless they asked her.

And, finally, Kai. The boy had been a constant source of torment to both men. Kai's parents had conveniently 'died' in a car crash, conveniently leaving their son to Voltaire's care. Kai had been a tearaway from the start. No matter how much they tried to beat it out of him, he was as stubborn as his father. He had been the one that sparked off the outrage over the abbey, but luckily, Boris and Voltaire had managed to cover it as Kai's over active imagination, and boyish scrapes, sending him many threats undercover for Kai not to say anymore. Things like 'your grandfather is relieved to see you and your girlfriend well, but do be careful.' And so on. Voltaire eventually had to bring the boy out to Japan with him. Luckily, he lost those memories for quite a while.

And there were others. He couldn't even think of their names, for the rage still bubbled up within him. Those Anglo-Greek brats had almost caused the closure of the entire abbey, something not even Kai had managed to achieve.

They would all pay, in time, Boris decided as he poured himself another glass.


	5. Chapter 4: How to Die Really Quickly

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

**It's time to see what our heroes have been doing!**

Chapter 4

Jess rubbed her hands together. They'd been walking for six days straight. She reached down and grabbed Ici's hand, pulling him up to the ledge her and Katt were standing on. Well, they had hitch hiked, but it was mainly walking across the Ural Mountains that stumped them. Jess released Sagittario from the gun launcher and ordered him to start releasing heat. It was how they got most of their heat.

"Look!" Ici gasped, holding his side. His sisters followed his point, and saw smoke emerging from a point behind one of the peaks. "That-has-to-be-a-village! I've-read-about-them-." But where he'd read about mountainside villages remained a mystery, as he sank to his knees. Jess raised her eyebrows and hoisted him onto her back. The two girls kept on walking, ignoring the stabbing pains in their chests.

The onlooker would be forgiven for thinking that Ici was weak, but the girls knew better. Ici conserved his energy cleverly. He was much stronger then he led you to believe. Why he didn't tell anyone was a mystery his sisters had never figured out.

"Excuse me!" Katt called out in fluent Russian. "May we stop and rest at your village?" The elder she asked nodded and told them that the village was called Ana-Adar. When Katt enquired further, he told her that they were about four days from their destination. He repacked the bags they were carrying with food and drink and the triplets were on their way again

**Four Days Later**

"There it is." Katt said, looking over the towers of Moscow as they prepared to enter. "The city of all evil."

"I never thought we'd be coming back here." Ici whispered with a shudder. Jess nodded her agreement and together the triplets walked through the city, staying away from the area of Russia where no sun ever shone. It was blocked out by Balkov Abbey.

It took the triplets the remaining four days to recuperate and strengthen their formidable beyblade skills.

But eventually, they were ready to battle.

As the sun dawned on the fifth day, they packed their bags and began walking to the stadium. They didn't know it, but what they were about to do would cause them trouble. Major trouble. And they would only get out if they stuck together.

**I know it's short, but I want to show the actual battle through someone else's eyes! **

**R&R!**


	6. Chapter 5: Astro V Show Their Prowess

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Chapter 5

Robert Jagen was seriously regretting telling Mr Dickinson that he had a lot of spare rooms.

Russia was the last country to hold its qualifiers. There had been several qualifiers; Europe, Russia, North America, Central America, South America, Japan and the Koreas, Australasia and China. The Majestics had got to the finals of the European, so had Barthez Battalion, much to Johnny's disgust. The Blade Breakers had got through the Japanese one, White Tigers through the Chinese etc. Much to Tyson's surprise, Team Psykick, a team he'd met in his travels had got through the American one.

And finally, the Russian ones.

They'd been watching the qualifiers for four days now, and it was down to the finals. No matter what happened, both teams would go in. This was just a bit of fun.

They were all crowded into Robert's 'television room', waiting to see who'd got through.

"And the first team… The Blitzkrieg Boys!" Suzy and Robert hi-fived each other.

"Could they really call them the Blitzkrieg Boys when there are so many girls there?" Johnny wondered aloud.

"Well, the final team hasn't been decided yet. If any of the girls get in, I imagine they will change the name." Robert replied, staring at the screen.

"They will if Kasi has anything to do with it!" Johnny snickered. Robert grinned distractedly. It was true that his feisty girlfriend was a stickler for equality, and he doubted she would be left off the team.

"The other team are… Astro V!" Johnny looked at the TV thoughtfully. He'd seen the triplets blade and reckoned they would go far in the tournament. But would they beat the Blitzkrieg Boys?

"Ok! This will be a best of three battle!" Jazzman said. "For Astro V, we have Jess, Katt aaaaand Ici!"

"No duh!" Johnny muttered, and then got thumped from the girl on either side of him.

"And for the Blitzkrieg Boys it will be Kai-" Suzy smiled softly. "-Tala aaaaand Hester!" Robert sat up.

"Hester? Did I just hear him say Hester?"

"Uh huh," Mollie Barnham, Johnny's girlfriend, nodded. "She's good, but is it sensible to bring her out in Russia?" The Majestics knew all about Hester's family 'problem'.

"First battle – Tala against Jess!" The Majestics watched as the cocky red head stepped up to the stadium, winking at the camera. Jess, on the other hand, stepped solemnly up, her face perfectly composed.

"Who'd you think will win?" Tyson asked, whilst stuffing his mouth with popcorn.

"It's difficult to say." Suzy mused, weighing up both Russian's abilities.

"How do you know anyway?" Daichi butted in rudely. "You don't beyblade!" Suzy sat on Johnny to stop him getting up.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Third member on the Majestics, aren't I, little brother?" Johnny scowled, but nodded. Suzy was sixty six minutes older than him, which did really make him the little brother. But still, he didn't like it being pointed out.

"What's your attack?" Tyson wanted to know.

"_Achain airson an làidir_." Even the words sent a shiver down Johnny's spine. Gaelic always did that to him.

"Your bitbeast?"

"Hydralyon."

"What's that?"

"That's on a need to know basis." Suzy, finally annoyed by all the questions, turned away to where her little sister Jo was playing in a corner of the room. Jo noticed the sudden attention and scrambled over, putting a pack of batteries into the convenient pouch on her belt. Being a McGregor, she was wearing a dress.

"Suze." Johnny muttered in her ear. "She's taken the batteries out of the clicker!" Suzy nodded and prised them from Jo's grasp, dropping them back into Robert's complicated looking remote.

"Ssh! It's starting!"

**Battle 1 – Jess v Tala**

Tala swaggered up to the dish and winked at the camera.

"Don't you dare get overconfident, Ivanov!" Kai growled in Russian.

"She's a girl. How could I fail to beat her?" Tala retorted, also in Russian.

"I think you may need to rethink that statement." Bryan's eyes were a tiny bit wider than usual, which meant he was shocked, maybe even slightly scared. Tala spun around. And stopped. Jess's eyes were gleaming. Not just sparkling, but gleaming. Actually changing colour. One minute they'd be the casual black, the next minute the pupils would glow white, and little flames seemed to be pouring out her eyes. Tala gulped. Maybe Jess was tougher than she seemed.

"3-2-1 – LET IT RIP!" Jess and Tala released their beyblades into the stadium.

"Go for the kill, Wolborg!" Tala wanted to get this over with.

"Stay strong, Sagittario!" Jess murmured. Tala watched in disbelief as Wolborg just… bounced off the girl's blade. And Sagittario kept spinning. Even faster. It was a flame coloured blur Tala could barely see.

"Try again, Wolborg!" Tala yelled.

"No!" But it was too late. Wolborg went in. "Tala! She's absorbing your strength!" Kai yelled.

"Fountains of Fire!" Jess brought her hands together. As Tala watched, fire began to pour out of the beyblade, streaming up, and then out. The dish was a lake of molten lava.

"Wolborg!" Tala cried as his blade was covered in the hot liquid. There was one last roar. Tala watched as his beyblade began to melt. And then, it stopped spinning. There was a hushed silence as the crowd digested the information. Tala Ivanov, THE Tala Ivanov, of Demolition Boy fame, had been beaten by a rookie. A rookie girl, none the less.

"Idiot!" Bryan growled under his breath. "And he's supposed to be better than me?" Kai watched as Jess blew a kiss to Tala, then walked to her side of the stadium, hi-fiving her brother and sister.

Tala groaned and sat down beside Bryan. Bryan hit him so hard that Kai winced.

"Idiot!" he growled. "What did Kai say? Don't get overconfident! And what do you do?"

"Leave it Bryan." Kai said wearily. "_For once_ it wasn't Tala's fault. _For once_."

"Yeah, right." Bryan muttered, examining his fingernails. Kasi rolled her eyes.

"Will you guys just cut it out?" She growled. "Yeah, sure, Tala lost by being an idiot. But you aren't such a saint Bryan!" Bryan flushed and examined his fingernails even closer. "And as for you Kai, don't you get me started!" Kai looked up at the ceiling.

"At least I didn't do it to my own brother." Bryan growled breathlessly. Then he froze. Even Bryan, the scourge of the first tournament, was like a rabbit caught in headlights compared with Kasi. Her strong arm flew out, grabbing Bryan by the neck. He made a few choking sounds at first, but tried to escape from the hand restricting his airways.

"If I ever, ever hear you say something like that again…" Kasi left the threat open. She released Bryan and he slumped down in his seat, massaging his neck and taking gasps of air. "Now, get up there, Kai. And if you don't win…" Kai was up in a flash. He gave a nervous grin to Bryan and turned his attention on the dish.

**Battle 2 – Katt v Kai**

Katt knew as soon as she stepped up to the dish that Kai was different to Tala. He held himself like a king, his scarlet eyes penetrating into her soul. She had heard, of course, about the two guys her sibs had bumped into in Anadyr. She had recognised Tala as the one that was spying on her and Jess had revealed that it was fearsome Bryan that she kicked in the shins. And of course, it was Kai that had bailed Ici out when he couldn't run fast enough. Did that mean she owed him something? Nah, she decided. Kai just cancelled out Bryan's almost selling them to the police.

"Are you ready?" Jazzman asked them. Katt took a deep breath and nodded. Kai just turned his impassive stare to fixate on Jazzman. "OK! 3-2-1… LET IT RIP!" Katt's eyes gleamed like ripples on water. Kai's eyes were following the blades, she could see him assessing the situation.

"Scorpios! Hands of Water!" Kai blinked as her beyblade seemed to split into three.

"Dranzer, attack!" Kai ordered. Dranzer paused, as if thinking which to attack, then went for the one directly in front. Dranzer went straight through it. "I see your game, Morgan. Optical Illusions, yeah?"

"You're smarter than you look, pretty boy. But what you gonna do about it?"

"This! DRANZER BLAZING GIG TURBO!" He yelled, pointing at the dish.

"Oh dear, looks like your little sparrow got himself caught by a scorpion!" Katt's mocking voice seemed to be coming from far away. Kai watched, dizzy in horror as Scorpios wrapped his strong tail around Dranzer's neck.

"No!" He whispered. "Dranzer!" Dranzer gave a sorrowing call that pierced through Kai's defences.

"Scorpios! Scorpion Sting!" Scorpio jabbed his pointed tail into Dranzer's neck. One final song and it was over. Kai's blade stopped spinning. He realised he was shaking. He closed his eyes, trying to compose himself. "Hey, you ok?" He realised Katt was looking at him.

"Yeah, I think. Good game." Kai shook hands with Katt.

"You almost had me there. Next time, yeah?" She gave a final grin and walked back to her sibs.

Johnny released the breath he hadn't even realised he was holding.

"No way!" He breathed. Suzy shuddered.

"And if Kai and Tala, who are the best, there's no doubt about that, Tyson, were beaten by Astro V…"

"Then we don't have a chance." Robert muttered.

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of 'Hester will be crushed to dust', but that works." Suzy admitted. Suddenly, her mobile went off. Everyone crowded round her, trying to hear who it was. "State your business." She said gruffly. "Kai!" Her voice suddenly changed. "Yeah, I'm watching at Robert's, btw, you're paying for the call." She glared at the others and took herself over to the window. "No, you were amazing. Honest." "No, I'm not just saying that." "You didn't let me down. You're still going to the championships, aren't you? Then what are you being so depressed about? Trust me, you'll be fine. It's when you get beaten by Enrique, then you start to wonder!" Enrique flushed and twiddled with his bangs. "You dare, Hiwatari… you just dare!" Johnny raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. Love you too." She switched the phone off and swung around to face the accusing features of the others.

"What did he say?" Johnny growled.

"I don't ask you every detail of what Mollie says to you, do I? A girl's conversation with her boyfriend is private. And anyway, it's starting again."

And, try as they might, they couldn't get another word out of her.

**Battle 3 – Ici v Hester**

Ici nibbled his fingernails nervously. Try as he might, he couldn't shake off the nerves. He gripped his white beyblade tightly, hoping that some of the intensity in there could rub off onto him.

His opponent, however, looked completely serene. Almost angelic. Ok, as angelic as a fourteen year old with purple and orange hair, starry shaped spectacles, a pair of baggy jeans, a pierced tongue, mutilated ears and eyebrows could look like. Hester Mandarin was a punk.

Hester didn't expect to win. If Kai and Tala hadn't won, then why the heck should she be any different? However, she was determined to get out there and show Boris what she could do.

She looked at the squirrel that was engraved on her bit piece. A lot of people may argue that a squirrel wasn't a particularly fierce creature, but Zendare was the bravest creature she knew.

"Looks like we're both nervous about this battle," she quipped, looking at her pale opponent.

"Yeah, I guess." He mumbled, biting his nails again.

"OK! 3-2-1… LET IT RIP!" Zendare and Virgo span around the dish, causing a dazzling show of lights.

"Words of the Magi, Virgo!" A dazzlingly beautiful sorceress rose from the centre of Ici's blade. There was a high, haunting laugh and Virgo blew outwards with her hands. Hester cried out as Zendare was blasted with a large gust of wind.

"No!" Ici yelled. "Don't make a sound!" Hester was slammed back against the wall. She slumped down, unconscious.

"What the hell did you do to her, Morgan?" Tala yelled.

"Leave it, Ivanov." Jess said, her low voice reverberating around the stadium.

"Virgo, Castles of Air…" Ici breathed. As they watched, Hester rose up, her head hanging. Then, her eyes opened and the blood disappeared from her forehead.

"What the hell…" Bryan murmured, spellbound by the tiny blader's song. But he caught Kasi watching him and shut up.

"Words of the Magi will attack the blader if they make a sound." Katt explained, starry-eyed.

"Thanks," Hester said gruffly. Ici shrugged.

"Song of Spirit!" He cried. The song coming from the bitbeast changed. It floated around Hester. Zendare's eyes began to close.

"No, Zendare! Starrae!" If Hester had waited a moment longer, she would have lost contact with her bitbeast, but luckily she got in there just in time. Zendare chattered and sprinkled stars around the mage. But these were no ordinary stars. They burnt the magi and she began to shriek. Ici seemed to be in intense pain, Kai judged by the look on his face.

"Words of the Magi!" This time, Hester kept her mouth shut. Zendare toppled backwards like a statue. Hester waited until the temperature was back to normal before speaking.

"Ici. Brilliant! You're an amazing blader, well done!" She said, grinning widely.

"Thanks, you're not too bad yourself. That star thingy almost won you the match!" The two Russian teens shook hands, grinning widely.

Johnny's eyes were so wide; they looked like they were going to pop out of his head.

"Well, that was a surprise." Mollie said, hugging her knees. Johnny's phone began to ring.

"Hello, Johnny McGregor, I'm very important and handsome, how may I help?" he said with a wry smile. "Oh, Mother!" Suzy burst into hysterics and Jo tugged at her skirt, wondering what was so funny. Johnny watched his older sister sign to his younger as he listened to his mother on the other end of the phone. "Right. Ok. All of them? There's quite a few! Yes, Mother. Ok. Bye. See you on the thirteenth." He closed the phone.

"What was that about?" Suzy asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Mother's had a think, and she's decided…AFTER PARTYAT OURS!"

"YES!" Suzy and Johnny hi-fived. "Majestics and Blitzkrieg Boys?"

"Yep!"

Robert opened his eyes wide. He'd been to a McGregor Party before. Relentlessly cheery hardly described it. He'd barely stood it, and he was generally a happy person. How Bryan and Kai would stand it, well that would be interesting… His face lit up with a smile and it wasn't just the thought of his pretty girlfriend that put it on there.


	7. Chapter 6: Everyone's Depressed

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Chapter 6

Kai put down his phone again.

"The McGregor's will be meeting us at the airport," He said, subdued. None of them had been the same after their three-zero defeat against Astro V.

Kasi fiddled with the volume on the stereo that was in the corner of the airplane. A sweet tune came out, one that they all knew.

_You found hope, you found fame…_

Kasi began to sing along. Her voice was star quality, Kai thought drowsily. Surely it wouldn't matter if he just closed his eyes… for a little bit. His head dropped onto Kasi's shoulder.

When Kai awoke, he didn't know how long he'd been out. The same song was still playing, everyone was still slouched in the airplane, there were two voices singing… There were two people singing? Kai sat up, wondering who else would dare sing along with Kasi. It was a deep voice, a man's voice. Ian's voice hadn't broken yet, so it couldn't be him. Spencer hated singing, Tala couldn't sing to save his life… He shook his head. It couldn't be… Not Bryan, surely…

But it was. Kasi and Bryan could tune their voices perfectly in time and harmony. Faintly, Kai remembered music lessons they'd had at the first school he went to. Bryan had always been good at music… but Bryan singing? Who thought that one up?

But hey, when you've lived with The Blitzkrieg Boys and The Bladebreakers, you accumulate to change rather quickly.

Jess shook her head to try and clear her thoughts. But it didn't work. She couldn't shake the look on Tala's face when his beyblade was melted.

Next to her, on the airplane, Katt was in a similar predicament. Kai had seemed so… helpless. When Scorpios stung Dranzer, he'd been so close to crying…

Ici thought how the battle could have turned out. By the time Hester had been attacked, he was already burned out. If Tala had broken his concentration… It didn't bear thinking about.

It was Katt that brought them out of their reverie.

"Look at us!" She laughed. "You wouldn't think we'd just beaten the best team in beyblading!" Jess looked up.

"Yeah, but it was at a price." She murmured.

"Well, hey! We've been invited to the beyblade ball thingy in Scotland!" Katt enthused. "How bad can that be?" Ici agreed, chewing on his fingernail.

"Bad!" Jess snapped. "You're a boy, you don't understand these things. We need a date." She spat the word out as if it was a stone from a sour cherry. Ici snickered and the two girls whacked him.

Lee averted his eyes from the sight of his best friend and his younger sister making out. He decided not to comment. Kevin, however, had no such qualms.

"Eww!" He squealed. "Could you save things such as this to where no one else can see you?"

"That's a bad idea." Lee overruled. "That might encourage them to… go further." Kevin turned green and bolted for the bathroom. Mariah glared at her brother.

"Gee, with a brother like you, who needs a guy like Bryan?" She growled. Ray nodded from safely behind Mariah. Lee shook his head and turned back to the book he was reading. But his mind was far from it.

The sight he'd just bore witness to reminded him of the fact he had no girlfriend. No date for the dance that they were heading up to. And no one he could possibly think of to go with him. The only girls he knew were through beyblading. He could count them on his fingers.

Mariah. His sister.

Emily. She seemed to be pretty involved with Max, last time he looked.

Mariam. Already with Ozuma.

Kasi. She had Robert.

Hester. Tala.

Suzy. She was going out with Kai, and, anyway, NO WAY was he going out with Johnny's sister.

Mollie. Johnny's girlfriend.

Jezz, Amz, Julia. They were all taken. And he wasn't going to date Queen.

There were those two new Russian girls, Jess and Katt. But both of them were really pretty. Neither of them would ever consider going out with a neko-jin like him.

Lee sighed and turned the page in his book.

He would never get a girlfriend.

Raul curled up like a cat on the sofa.

"Where's my sister?" He asked Queen.

"Upstairs. With my brother." She replied snootily.

"I'm beginning to wish we hadn't played that dare game with them." Raul muttered.

"You aren't the only one." Queen grinned and put her headphones back in.

Raul sighed and looked out the window. Since they had arrived in the Scottish hotel in readiness for the BBA Christmas Ball, King and Julia had done nothing but skive off and… well, do what couples do. Legal stuff, Raul hoped.

Raul wasn't letting himself worry about anything other than how bad he was going to look in a tux. He wouldn't let him think of, well you know. The girls and stuff. And it was going to stay that way.

Apart from in his dreams.

"Ici, print us a list of all the boys in beyblading!" Jess ordered. Ici furrowed his eyebrows, but did as his eldest sister asked. He handed Jess the printout.

"Right…" Katt said with a grin. "Kai, taken. Tala, taken."

**Couple of Hours Later**

"Tyson?" Katt asked Jess.

"Do you want me to choose with your face?" Jess asked Katt.

"Raul?"

"Let me see." Katt handed Jess a printout.

"You like?"

"He's cool. I like his smile." Jess mused. "What about you?"

"Me, next time." Katt shrugged. "We can only release one Morgan!" The girl's hi-fived each other.

**Next chapter is solely on the ball people! Enjoy!**


	8. Chapter 7: The Ball Part 1

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

**As promised, the ball chapter!**

Chapter 7

"I am not wearing a tuxedo!" Kai growled. Suzy put her arms around his shoulders.

"Why not?" She asked sweetly. But Kai wasn't fooled. "Please!" She pressed her forehead against his so her violet eyes were staring into his crimson ones. His eyes were still stating a firm _no_. She traced her finger along the side of his face. She was still getting a negative answer. Praying that her parents or Johnny didn't walk in at any minute, she pressed her lips against his. When she drew back, there was the tiniest smile on his.

"Fine!" He growled. Suzy gave a shrill squeal and wrapped her arms around him. He wriggled out of her embrace and glared at her. Suzy realised she'd outstayed her welcome and left, kissing his cheek swiftly before he could register what happened.

"Had fun?" Johnny said dryly, paying for his tux.

"He's wearing one, that's all I can say!" Suzy grinned at her brother's shocked, then angry expression. "Relax Johnny! I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself!"

"You like him far too much." Johnny growled. "He could get anything he wanted out of you."

"He has enough money." Suzy said, distractedly.

"I'm not talking about money." Johnny gave her a pointed glance. Suzy's eyes widened as she realised what he was talking about. She slapped him.

"I could say the same thing about you and Mollie." She growled.

Suzy walked over to the door to the changing room and opened it. Johnny's eyebrows furrowed further than humanely possible.

"Do I look ok?" Katt said, fiddling with her black dress.

"You look fine!" Jess said, piling Katt's black and blue hair on the top of her head.

"Let's knock 'em dead!" Katt and Jess hi-fived.

Lee untied the bandages from his arms and flexed his scarred muscles. They felt strangely odd and bare without the pieces of material wrapped around them, but Mariah had insisted he looked like a 'normal' guy. He didn't really get the point. All of the girls and guys already knew what he looked like.

"You know, maybe, I just, won't go, I mean, Galeon needs a tune up." He said quietly. But Mariah ignored him and continued tugging at her bright pink dress. So he sighed and slouched on ahead.

He had no idea how this would change his life.

Suzy bit her tongue, trying to tie the ribbon at the back of her long navy blue dress. There was a knock at the door and she dropped it again.

"Come in!" She called, pulling the ribbon tight again. She heard the door open and then there was a soft click as it closed again. She rolled her eyes. Kai. He was the only one that closed a door like that.

"Need any help?" He murmured in her ear. She grinned.

"Can you tie this for me?" She asked. Kai picked up the bits of ribbon and tied it swiftly. His touch against the nape of her neck made her smile.

"Anything else?"

"Nope." She said, turning around to look at him. He had on the standard black trousers and black jacket, not to forget the white shirt, but it was unbuttoned and the tie was in his hand. "What's the matter, do you need any help?"

"Hardly." Kai jammed his hands into the pockets of his trousers. As Suzy drew nearer, she saw they were actually black jeans. "But, do I have to wear it?" Suzy rolled her eyes.

"Fine. A compromise. You don't have to wear the tie, if…" Kai jerked his head. Suzy didn't usually have 'ifs'. "If you put on a proper pair of trousers, NOT jeans!" His scowl deepened. "Do you need me to help you?" She teased. He wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Now, that would be nice." He murmured, pressing his forehead against hers. She pushed him away. Johnny's words were wringing in her ears. "What's wrong? What did I do?" She looked back. He looked so bewildered. _He could get anything he wanted from you. And I'm not talking about money_.

"Nothing." Suzy said quietly. "I just don't think we should see each other anymore." She turned away when she heard him gasp.

"Fine!" Kai said in a ringing voice and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Suzy kept staring out the window, unsurprised when she saw a hooded figure walk across the lawn a few minutes later.

The ball was in full swing when Raul entered. To his relief, there were plenty of people who didn't seem to have dates, including Suzy McGregor, who didn't look too pleased. He saw the two girls who wowed the beyblade world talking by a large window. The taller of the two looked over and grinned at him. He grinned back, an automatic reflex. Was it that? Him smiling at her? He didn't really know. But, whatever it was, she was making her way over.

"Hey," Her voice was low and deep, musical.

"Oh, hi." Raul flushed. He was useless; in a minute this girl would realise and walk away.

"I don't think we've met? I'm Jess, by the way." She held out her hand.

"Raul." He was going to shake it, but his Spanish manners kicked in. He caught her wrist and raised her hand to his lips. She flushed slightly. "Care to dance?" She blushed even deeper, but accepted.

It was nice that Jess had found a boyfriend, Katt thought. But would it harm anyone to give her one as well? Ici fidgeted in the window seat beside her.

"What's up?" She asked casually. Ici blushed and ran a hand through his hair. "Not you as well!" He nodded. Ici with a crush? She almost started laughing. "Who is it?" He pointed to a little pink haired girl. "Well, run along!" Ici took a deep breath and walked up to the girl. Katt smiled softly as they began to dance.

"He your brother?" She shaded her eyes and looked up. A tanned guy with long black hair was standing in front of her – Lee.

"Yeah." She said as he sat down next to her.

"Why aren't you dancing? I mean, your sister is, and your brother, why not you?"

"Why aren't you? Your sister's dancing." She pointed to Mariah and Ray. "Well, maybe dancing wasn't the right word." Lee grinned.

"Well, as both of us aren't dancing, why don't we dance together?" Lee said, as a new song came on – _Beautiful Disaster_ by Kelly Clarkson. "Well, that wasn't well phrased, but you want to try?" Katt realised she was staring and blinked. Lee was looking at her gently and she felt a fluttering in her chest and her stomach turned over.

"Yeah. I'd like that." She said, finding her voice.

Tears blurred her eyes as Suzy watched people dancing. If only she hadn't been so stupid! If only Kai was here… If only she hadn't listened to Johnny!

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist roughly and dragged her onto the dance floor.

"What do you think -" But she never finished. She looked up and was drowning in those crimson eyes. He placed a hand at the small of her back and she automatically put hers around his waist.

"Grant me one wish." He growled in her ear. She nodded. Over Kai's shoulder, she could see Johnny beginning to make his way through the crowd with an angry expression on his face. She leaned her head onto Kai's shoulder and realised he was still wearing his hoodie, which made him look rather out of place. Johnny was almost there when she pulled back his hood. Johnny stopped as he recognised the grey-blue hair. "You can go now." Kai muttered, removing his hands from her waist.

"Nice try." Suzy murmured in his ear, grabbing his hands. Kai lifted her chin until they were staring at each other. She drew him to the window and he pulled his hoodie over his head, revealing that he still had his shirt on underneath it. "Come on, you going to dance?" Suzy teased, pulling him back to the dance floor.

She looked up, realising the attention they were getting from bladers like Tyson and Ray. "Everyone is staring at us." She said quietly. She knew how Kai hated to be stared at for anything other than his blading prowess. Kai moved his head down until they were face to face. Suzy looked at him, expecting an answer. Instead, Kai brushed his lips against hers. She responded, almost laughing as she saw Tyson's face. Kai looked up and saw Tyson staring at him. He gave Tyson one of his trademark basilisk glares and he backed off.

Suzy rested her head on Kai's chest as he spun her around, wishing the night could last forever.

_He drowns in his dreams, an exquisite extreme I know, he's as damned as he seems, more heaven than a heart could hold, and if I tried to save him, my whole world could cave in, just ain't right, just ain't right, oh and I don't know, I don't know what he's after, but he's so beautiful, such a beautiful disaster, if I could hold on, through the tears and the laughter, would it be beautiful, or just a beautiful disaster, he's magic and myth, as strong as what I believe, a tragedy with, more damage than a soul should see, and do I try to change him, so hard not to blame him, hold on tight, hold on tight, I'm longing for love, but he's only happy hysterical, I'm waiting for some kind of miracle, waiting so long, he's soft to the touch, but frayed at the end he breaks, he's never enough, and still he's more than I can take._

**Well, that was part one, the second part deals in the other couples, no more Suzy and Kai for a bit! Beautiful Disaster is owned by Kelly Clarkson and it's written by Matthew Wilder and Rebekah Jordan, so basically I don't own it!**


	9. Chapter 8: The Ball Part 2

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

**This part concentrates on the rather neglected bladers. Ok, so that's everyone but Suzy and Kai! And this was supposed to be an Astro V fic! Katt's going to kill me! Enjoy!**

Chapter 8

"What's the matter?" Robert asked. "Don't you like to dance?"

"I love to dance – especially with you." Kasi blushed. "But, it's just, my brother was pretty cut up earlier, and Suzy isn't looking too perky now. You don't think they've broken up?"

"Looks like it." Robert said in her ear. Kasi glared at him angrily.

"Is that all you can say? That's my brother who's losing it here! He's not some random blader off the street!" She shoved him.

"I'm sorry, Kasi. I didn't mean to seem rude and uncouth." Robert said quietly. Her expression softened and she leaned in again.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say those things. I'm just – frustrated. Kai's been through a lot and I don't like the fact that spoiled Scottish -"

"Kasi!" Robert warned.

"Spoiled Scottish brat can just walk all over him! Guns, whips, even _knives _can't make him cry! But he meets her, she walks all over him and – wham! – he's crying!" Robert rubbed her back comfortingly. "I wish she'd just leave him alone." Tears began to fall from Kasi's violet eyes. Robert held her close. "But they were so good." She sobbed. "I can't imagine she did it on purpose. She always seemed so nice."

"Come on." Robert murmured in her ear. "Forget them and, for once, be yourself. Don't think about Kai, or Black Onyx, or what you'd like to do to Suzy. Be Kasi." Kasi shook her head, but Robert caught her chin in his hand. "Just be yourself." Kasi tried to struggle free, but she didn't want to hurt Robert. He moved in closer, until they were touching.

"I thought you were a gentleman, Robert Jagen." Kasi said, pretending to be outraged.

"Would it be so bad if I did this?" He caught her lips in hers and wasn't surprised when her hand wrapped around the back of his head.

For once, Kasi was doing what she wanted to do.

"What's the matter?" Emma asked. "Why aren't you dancing?" Bryan looked up from the courtyard.

"I don't like it." He said, shrugging. Emma dropped down beside him.

"Are you ok?"

"I don't like crowds. Don't like dancing. Don't like people." He growled. "Oh yeah, and I hate suits." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Just one dance. Then I'll leave you alone. At least come inside." She looked up.

"Jesus!" The cry was torn out of both of them.

"Did you just-"

"Yeah, at least, I think so." They stared at each other, not wanting to recognise what they saw. Emma reached for Bryan's hand and he squeezed it. He followed her inside meekly, not wanting to remain there anymore.

"I'll go and get drinks." She said, letting go of his hand. He nodded and stared moodily out of the window. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone join him.

"A dance? For old time's sake?" Said a cool, haughty voice.

"Sierra." Bryan growled.

"Surely I haven't changed that much?"

Emma watched with narrowed eyes as Bryan followed Sierra to the floor.

"We are good together." Sierra said.

"Were. Not anymore." Bryan muttered, wishing he could get it over with.

"Oh yes. Now you have the little English schoolgirl."

"As supposed to the Russian-Spanish harlot?" Sierra ignored Bryan's slur on her personality.

"Come on, Bryan. Tell me you don't miss the old life."

"I do." Bryan grudgingly admitted. "But I have a new life now, Sierra." Sierra smiled as he said his name, like some long forgotten treasure.

"With a girl who barely understands what you say? Bryan, you should stick to your type. She doesn't understand your accent and she doesn't understand what you're fleeing from. You have nothing in common!" Bryan noticed uneasily how close Sierra was.

"You're wrong. I don't know what your game is, _Valputin_," he spat her name out bitterly, "But you're wrong. We have something in common. Love. And that's a concept you'll never understand." Bryan pushed her away and made his way through the crowd to the window.

He couldn't believe what he'd just said. In front of millions of people, none the less. To quote Hester's favourite film _'don't say s—t like that to me. People can hear you.'_ Boy was he hoping people couldn't.

"Hey." Emma's voice was as cool as the glass she handed him. "Having fun?"

"Not particularly." Bryan pressed his head against the window.

"Funny, you looked like you were enjoying yourself over there."

"God!" Bryan groaned. "Why is everyone always on my case? I was not enjoying myself with Sierra; in fact, I was trying to defend you! But maybe you need to find someone else, like everyone else who's ever got near me!" Bryan clenched his fist angrily, forgetting he had a glass in it. He groaned again as the liquid dripped down his fist, although it was strangely comforting.

"You were?" Emma's round yellow eyes looked up.

"Do you think I have a strong accent?" Bryan pressed.

"Oh God!" Emma shrieked, pressing a hand to the window. Bryan grabbed her arm and began to fight through the throng.

"Kasi!"

Kasi looked up. Trust one of her 'siblings' to but in. Robert was just getting romantic. But this was Bryan. Bryan looked scared. Bryan didn't get scared.

"What's wrong?" She asked, calmly. Bryan's chest heaved as though he had run a marathon, but Kasi happened to know he'd only been by the window.

"Boris. Here. In Scotland." He whispered. Kasi felt her heart plummet down to her shoes. **_All this time. I thought I was safe._ **

"Get everyone, Bryan." She ordered. Her sharp eyes had already spotted Kai come in a little while ago. He nodded. "Emma, do you know if there's anywhere we can go to escape, minus outside?"

"The cloakroom." Kasi nodded and began to make her way across.

In a few minutes they were all there, in varying stages of fear and distress.

"What do we do?" Kai asked, his arms around Suzy as though he could protect her from the malice that was outside.

"We have to fight." Spencer muttered. As the oldest, he was widely revered, but even Ian thought he'd gone mad.

"Are you mad?" The aforementioned Russian squeaked.

"Spence's right." Tala agreed. "If we don't get out there, innocent lives could be lost. Not even Bryan could deal with that on his conscience."

"What's going on?" Tala's eyes darkened as he recognised Jess's voice.

"Nothing." He said patronisingly. "Run along." But they stood their ground.

"Tell us what the hell's going on here." Katt growled.

"It's none of your business!" Tala retorted.

"If it's to do with Boris, then it's everything to do with us!" Ici yelled. Tala blinked at the sudden outburst from the small teen.

"They're right." Hester sighed. "It is to do with them. But don't ask me why. I don't want to talk about it." Hester and Jess looked at each other, black eyes meeting orange ones. A look of understanding passed between them. Tala muttered under his breath, but if Hester said it was right, then it was right.

"We're going outside." Kai informed them. "Boris has been seen inside the grounds. We want to find him." The triplets nodded and followed the others.

Boris Balkov didn't realise he had been spotted by both the hated Bryan and his English girlfriend. In fact, he was congratulating himself on the fact he had not been seen when he saw his daughter glaring at him, with Tala's arms around her. There was no doubt about it. He had been spotted. There was no point in hiding anymore. He stepped out, to see the accusing and angry faces of his old team and their comrades.

"What are you doing here?" Hester asked, her orange eyes filled with hate.

"Can a father not see his daughter?" He replied, watching the red head behind her stiffen slightly.

"I have no father." She spat upon the ground.

"You aren't here to see Hester. Why are you here?" Kasi's voice was cold, but yet, it was extremely human, as her mind struggled to find the words.

"I have my own team in the tournament." Boris replied in Russian, watching with satisfaction as only half of the people standing in front of him could actually understand.

"Of course." He hadn't spotted the three at the end of the line. "Boris always has a team in the finals."

"Be it BEGA, Biovolt or otherwise. Boris Balkov always has a team in the tournament."

"No matter what."

"You!" He growled. The triplets glared at him, and he glared back. "How did I know you would be here?"

"Sixth sense, or are we just getting predictable?" Jess taunted. Boris snarled. The triplets looked all too healthy for his liking.

He clicked his fingers and bladers began to appear from nowhere, all wearing standard abbey uniform.

He had hoped at least one of them would show some fear, maybe one of the Scottish brats, but none of them did. From Ici to Robert, they were all defiant. Not even Suzy, who Boris would have thought would look terrified.

"Prepare to launch!" He snarled in Russian. Everyone understood _that_.

"Hey, what are you doing?" A girl's voice came from the shadows.

"Blast!" Boris swore under his breath. " Launch!"

But even as he said the word, five beyblades came from nowhere, hitting the other blades full on.

"Funkadellic!"

"Kolt!"

"Metal Driger!"

"Elea!"

"Rom!"

"STALLION ATTACK!" The five bladers yelled. Suddenly, as quickly as he had appeared, Boris and the bladers disappeared.

"Ok. Did I just imagine that?" Said an all too familiar voice. Hiro Granger was standing there, launcher in one hand, beyblade in the other, with a whole new team.

"Who are you?" Johnny asked, confused.

"We're BBA Team Stallion." A green haired boy replied. "I'm Matt, pinkie's Ellie, you already know Hiro, wheel's over there is Koren, but you can call her Wheels and that funkadellic dudette over there is Zoe, leader of the team."

They were a weird looking team. Matt had bright green hair that fell into his shimmering yellow eyes, Ellie's pink hair was pulled into bunches, but the gleam in her eye told Johnny that she was not another Mariah, Wheels had long, navy blue hair that was coiled on top and an expensive looking laptop in her lap and Zoe? Zoe. Her purple hair hung in front of her heavily outlined eyes, her pale face was almost the same colour as the streak in her hair and her black lips scowled at them. They were all wearing black velvet, the girls, long black dresses with flaring lace sleeves and the boys were wearing flared tops and trousers. They were all wearing black velvet capes trimmed with lace hoods. Their beyblades were all black and deep purple, and their gun launchers were also black. They were the most gothic team Johnny had ever come across.

"We're here to pick you up." Zoe's voice was dark and deep. "The first round is in Japan, the day after tomorrow."

"We got here a bit early so we could join the party!" Wheels muttered, suddenly spinning off in her electric wheelchair. Hiro and Ellie looked at each other and Hiro began to run after Wheels, before she landed face first in the lake. Johnny and Mollie shrugged and walked away from the rest of them, as they began to troop back in to join the dance.

"Well, a life with the McGregors is never dull." Mollie mused as she trailed her hand into the crystal waters of the lake.

"Is dull what you want?" Johnny asked from behind her, the darkness of the night sky reflected in his violet eyes.

"I didn't say that." Mollie teased, leaning back on his strong figure. "It's just a long way from Newent Farm." Her blue eyes looked at the elaborate fountains and her pointed ears heard the delicate dance music. "In Newent, you'd get apple bobbing and Baby Got Back. It takes a while to adjust." Johnny grinned.

"We could always have that here." He murmured in her ear. Mollie punched him.

"Get real Johnny! Your parent's are already going off on one about Suzy and Kai, and at least he's got money! What are they going to do when they find out you like a penniless farm girl? It's not the Cotswolds I live in, that could be acceptable. I live in a small farm that's already losing enough money!"

"Sheesh!" Johnny raised his hands in defence of himself. "They'll just have to deal with it. Seems like Grace was the only one who actually did what she was told, anyway. Suzy already feels second best to the ghost of her memory and we all know Jo isn't what my parents were hoping for!" The mention of his dead sister turned his face sombre. It was one thing knowing you were a disappointment to your parents, without saying it out aloud.

"Aww… Feeling sorry for yourself now, Johnny?" Mollie said, tilting her head until she could see Johnny's face fully. "The guilt trip doesn't work on me!" Mollie kissed Johnny quickly and then began to run. Johnny chased after her, her laughter echoing through the night.

"Hester? HESTER?" Tala yelled, looking for the purple and orange haired girl. After the surprise encounter with her father, the fourteen year old had just disappeared. His sharp eyes caught a flash of purple and he began to walk towards it.

Hester sat on the bridge, dangling her legs.

"Oh. Hey." Hester said in a small voice for the violent punk.

"Hey, why are you here? You aren't thinking of jumping off are you?" Tala sat next to her, his ice blue eyes sparkling as they reflected the water.

"I don't know." Hester whispered, staring at her trembling hands.

"Hey!" Tala said in a warning tone, pulling her close. "Don't you even think about it!" Hester laid her head back on Tala's shoulder.

"It's just – I think he's tracking me, Tala. He always knows where I am. And he's always there." A single tear slunk down Hester's cheek. Tala wrapped his arms around her and she finally let go of the emotions that had been troubling her since she saw her father.

"You hang around with us. For all you know, it could be Kai, or Kasi that he's following. Hey, it could be me!" Hester grinned through her tears. "Come on." Tala stood up and offered a hand to Hester. Hester smiled shakily and took it. "You owe me a dance," He teased, putting an arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the buzzing hall.

Hiro shuddered. Since BEGA, he'd acquired a fear of enclosed spaces. Claustrophobia, he'd heard it was called. Ellie grinned at him. He gave a weak smile back as they entered the hall.

At the sight of seeing five bladers, dressed all in black, with hoods up, the music stopped and everyone stared.

"Are you the new age Dark Bladers or something?" Tyson quipped, scratching his head.

"I thought you would recognise your own brother, Tyson." Zoe's voice was a low growl and she motioned for the Stallions to take their hoods down.

"Hiro!" Tyson gasped, standing in front of Hilary.

"Party's over!" Wheels said, spinning around. Zoe grabbed one of the handles to stop Wheels from landing in the punch bowl.

"Your planes leave in two hours. I suggest you get ready. The first stage of the tournament will be soon." Hiro said, avoiding Tyson's eyes.

"OK, how many of you can drive?" Matt asked, pulling Zoe close to him. Zoe glared at him and Matt gave a cry of pain as one of the strands that hung in front of his eyes went up in flames. Hiro and Wheels burst out laughing.

"That gives a whole new meaning to crashed and burned!" Wheels snickered. Ellie hi-fived Zoe. Matt scowled.

"In your teams, have you each got someone who can drive?" Wheels said, between gasps of laughter.

"We haven't." Kenny said. Zoe looked pointedly at Hiro, who ducked.

"I'll drive you." He muttered, staring at the floor.

"What?" Tyson choked on his drink.

"It's either Hiro, you walk or…" Ellie trailed off.

"I can drive." Said one of the bladers they'd brought with them.

"…or Garland can take you. Which do you want?"

"Hiro then." Tyson muttered, glaring at his elder brother.

"You have seriously a long way to go before your glares become anything like Zozo's!" Brooklyn muttered, an arm around a pink haired girl. "Whoa!" He ducked as the curtain behind him went up in flames.

"Dude! Did you just-?" Tyson gasped, staring at Zoe.

"It's called pyrokenisis." Zoe growled, putting her purple lenses on. "You can create fire by will. Dead useful." Tyson backed away. "Majestics, Garland will drive you. Garland, stop making out with Jezz." The silver haired blader jumped and pulled away from a spunky blue haired girl. "Take the limo. The big one." Zoe threw him a set of keys.

"Ici!" Kai called, just before they were about to go.

"Yeah?"

"I have a tip for you in the tournament."

"What?"

"Don't use that castle of air thingy."

They had no idea what they were getting into.


	10. Chapter 9: Blood, Guts and Beyblading

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V

**Hey guys! So, fingers crossed, there should be some beybattling this chapter! Oh yes, and there's a wee bit of supernatural stuff, as well as some more info on the mysterious stallions!**

** … means Author's Note, btw.**

**_Italic _means a characters thoughts. Enjoy!**

Chapter 9

The plane journey that Hiro and Ellie had just taken was anything but fun. Aside from Daichi yelling at tiniest bit of turbulence, Kenny continually trying to get onto the internet, Ray trying to meditate, Max just basically trying to lighten the mood and Hilary insisting on watching a movie on full volume, there had been Tyson. The seats they were sitting in were opposite each other and Hiro was pretty sure that Tyson had done nothing but glare at him for the entire journey. Hey, Hiro wasn't too impressed that he had to baby-sit his younger brother!

"There aren't enough seats in the car for all of us, you do realise that?" Ellie said as they collected their luggage. "One of us is going to have to stay behind."

"Aww… Can't we leave Tyson behind?" Hiro muttered, shouldering his black leather satchel. Ellie threw her bag at him, hitting him bang on his chest. "Oww!" He yelped, throwing it back.

"Do you want me to go, or will you be ok?"

"Nah. I'll be ok. You go get us a room, yeah?" Hiro kissed the top of Ellie's head and motioned for the Bladebreakers to follow him.

"Have fun!" Ellie chirruped as she staggered down the road, carting one of her bags behind her.

"Els, pass that bag over!" Hiro yelled. She groaned slightly, but threw it across the street, 'accidentally' hitting Tyson.

"That hurt!" Tyson screeched as he picked himself up. Ellie's only answer was to laugh as she ran down the road. Hiro shook his head and opened the car door. The rest of the Bladebreakers piled in, leaving Tyson to go in the passenger seat.

"I'm not that safe a driver," Hiro said, poking his head back. "So I'd advise you strap yourselves in!" Max and Ray looked at each other in alarm. Hiro pushed his phone into the handset and speed dialled Ellie's number.

"Hey Hiro! Have you even set off yet?" Ellie sounded remarkably cheery. Ray had to physically hold Daichi down to stop him looking around trying to find out where her voice was coming from.

"Nope, just double checking with you."

"Hit me."

"Tate's down by the river, right? Seen any fires?"

"Just got a call from Matt, actually. Says a kid wound Zoe up."

"Right. I'll avoid mainland then."

"Try not to crash, Hiro."

"Ok." Hiro switched off the phone and turned the ignition on. "Here goes! God protect me." He muttered under his breath.

As soon as they got into the countryside, Max knew something was wrong.

"Hiro, look!" He cried, pointing to the horizon, where flames flickered.

"By the blade!" Hiro muttered, pulling over so hard they went flying. "Tyson, speed dial three." Tyson scowled, but did as he'd been asked.

"Zoe Albus, what the hell do you want?"

"I want to know what the hell you've been doing Zoe!" Hiro yelled, his brown eyes wide with alarm.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that!"

"Listen, Zozo. You've set fire to the harbour! There are people down there!" But it was too late, as Zoe put the phone down. Hiro swore under his breath and began hoisting Max's bags out of the boot. "We're going on foot." He said, throwing some of the bags to Max. Max jumped, but caught the bag. Without warning, Hiro began to run. Max ran after him, the rest of the Bladebreakers following him. "ZOE! ZOE ALBUS!" Hiro yelled at the top of his voice.

"Hiro, over here!" Matt called, waving his hands about. "Dude!"

"So what happened?" Hiro asked, after shaking hands.

"Zoe and I finished delivering our lot – we had the Saint Shields – and we took a walk up here. It was quite cold, so she conjured up a little fire to keep us warm. Unfortunately, a kid, who must have been about thirteen, give or took a few years, saw it and went on about how weird it was. I told him to shut up, but he didn't listen and… well, this happened."

"Jeez! Is there anyone trying to calm her down?"

"There's a guy here, but it's not working." Matt scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. "And I can't mend the grass until we get the fire out."

"It's times like this when you need Ellie." Hiro nibbled his lip. "I can try, but we're going to need water for it to work properly."

"Dad!" Max suddenly yelled. Hiro spun round. It was Max's dad that was trying to calm Zoe down. Both Hiro and Matt recognised the clenching of Zoe's fists and the narrowing of her eyes.

"Ring Ellie. NOW!" Hiro yelled and sprinted towards Zoe and Mr Tate. Ray held Max back as he tried to get to his dad.

"You can't do anything, Max. We're going to have to see if Hiro can calm her down." He said quietly.

"Huh!" They turned around to see Tyson, his arms folded, baseball cap pulled over his eyes. "If that's Hiro's plan. For all we know, Hiro could be going to help her trash the marina!" Ray caught Max as he fainted.

"We don't know that, Tyson." He said quietly. "And we're just going to have to pray that that's not the case. There's nothing else we can do."

"Come on!" Hiro muttered, almost there. But he saw it was too late. "NOW!" He screamed. At that moment, a gust of wind began to blow. Hiro was staring so hard at Mr Tate that his eyes were watering. He was putting all his energy into this, he could feel his limbs weakening. Eventually, the wind became so hard that Mr Tate toppled over, and he could hear Max yelling. Just in time, as the spot Mr Tate had been standing in had gone up in flames. Suddenly, there was a hissing sound and the fires around Zoe began to flicker and fade. Hiro breathed a sigh of relief. As one, Hiro and Zoe fell to their knees. Hiro felt the last of his strength go and he toppled backwards, seeing sparks of lightening fly across the clear night sky.

"Hey, come on." Someone was lifting him up, or trying to. He took deep breaths, clearing his head.

"Did it work?"

"Yes, you know it would, Jin of the Gale!" It was Ellie's teasing voice in his ear. As he sat up, he saw Zoe and Matt together. He wasn't sure, but he could have sworn that he saw a glimmer of water in Zoe's eye as she buried her head in Matt's shoulder. Apart from Wheels putting in the last couple of finishing touches to the place, the marina looked as good as new.

"Excuse me, sir!" She called across to Mr Tate. "Can you just check the electricity!" Mr Tate nodded and flicked a switch. Wheels nodded grimly. "That's the last of it." She said, flopping back in her chair.

"Hell of a welcoming committee." Matt said, supporting Zoe as he walked towards them.

"Sorry I caused all this trouble," she said in a mousy quiet voice. "I guess I should have listened." Hiro shrugged.

"Nothing seriously damaged, well, nothing that we haven't put right." He said as he struggled to get up. "Now I need to get the rest of the Bladebreakers home. See you guys at the hotel, right?" There were nods and murmurs of assent and Hiro staggered to the car. He tripped over his own foot and was only saved from falling when Ray grabbed his shoulder. "Cheers." He said with a grin, leaning against the car and taking deep breaths. "No matter how long I hang out with The Stallions, I can never keep up!"

"Was it you that conjured the wind?" Kenny wanted to know.

"Yeah. That gave the whole reasoning for the Jin of the Gale stuff when I first met you. And," "He hastily added, seeing Hilary's mouth open. "No, I didn't know the Stallions before that." Hiro put his phone in the holder, to be ready and all that. "I met Matt at an internet conference thingy and he asked me if I wanted to be in his team, then I met Ellie and the rest is history." Hiro flushed slightly before starting the car. "Ray, are you staying at Tyson's?" Ray nodded, and then realised Hiro couldn't see him as he was driving.

"Yeah. I am." He said clearly.

"Right! Damn it! One way street!" Hiro cursed as he tried to drive the car the wrong way up a one way street. Ray and Hilary collapsed with laughter. "Hey! I told you I'm not a very good driver!" Even Tyson couldn't help a smile spreading across his face, no matter how he tried to hide it. "Here we go! Granger residence!" Hiro said in a chauffeur type voice. "Whoops! Child locks on the door! You will not believe how many times Zoe and Matt have tried to jump out of the car when I'm driving!" Yet again, Tyson couldn't prevent a small smile. Since when had Hiro been funny? Hiro grabbed several of the bags out of the boot and trailed after Ray and the others.

"Tyson! My little homey! How was the dance? Was it hopping?" Tyson cringed as his grandpa catapulted out of a second storey window.

"Some bits were, grandpa!" He said with a grin. Hiro cleared his throat. "Oh yeah, put the bags straight in, Hiro." Mr Granger stiffened as he saw his eldest grandson. Hiro stood awkwardly, wilting under Mr Granger's stern gaze.

"I'd better be going." He said quietly. "Good luck in the tournament, you guys, although I'm sure the Stallions will beat you!"

"Bring it on!" Ray disagreed and Hiro walked down the path, shivering slightly.

"What was that all about, Tyson?" Mr Granger wanted to know.

"Hello and welcome to the annual beyblade tournament. I'm AJ Topper-"

"And I'm Brad Best. The stadium sure is buzzing here, AJ, with new teams dotted amongst the old. The Bladebreakers are back again, minus one grumpy face. I'm talking about Kai, of course!" At that moment, a bright blue beyblade whizzed into the window of the recording booth.

"Hey, I guess we forgot to tell you to watch out for violent bladers! Looks like beyblading duo King and Queen are back after a year off and, this year, they're joined by twins Julia and Raul to form Flying Stampede! And, of course, we have Blitzkrieg Omega back again after narrowly missing out last year – Will it be this year?"

"Not if the Bladebreakers have anything to do with it, AJ!"

"Hey, Brad, if Kai's with Blitzkrieg Omega, does that mean that they're friends?"

"Well, they aren't enemies! And look, there's Astro V, the team that's wowed the world before they even qualified!"

"And that's not forgetting their three nil defeat of Blitzkrieg Omega, on their home turf!"

"Every dog had its day, AJ, and I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking maybe Blitzkrieg Omega are past it!" A black beyblade smashed through the window.

"Ow! That was sharp! Maybe it's not best to air this while Blitzkrieg Omega can hear us, Brad!"

"Maybe indeed, AJ. And look, Hiro Granger's back with a whole new team! Ah yes, BBA Team Stallion will probably be the only team that will really stand in the way of The Bladebreakers this year, after the interesting display of fire last night, reportedly caused by the team! But there seems to be a bit of commotion down there, AJ!"

"Maybe you weren't right in saying Blitzkrieg aren't enemies, Brad!"

"I spent two years on the bench!" Bryan yelled. "Why in hell can't I compete?"

"Because Kasi is. I am the leader of this team, Kyznetsov, and if you don't like it, you can leave!" Kai was just a little bit fed up of Bryan.

"For god's sake Bryan!" Emma screamed. "Just let Kasi compete!"

Bryan stopped, his features hardened. Everyone in the stadium was looking at them, wondering what was going on. The look he passed his girlfriend was far from loving as he stormed out of the stadium.

Emma gave Bryan an hour to cool off before going after him. After sitting in stony silence for fifteen minutes, Kai swore under his breath.

"Ems," he said between curses. "Tell Bryan he's battling tomorrow." Emma nodded, but watched the exhibition matches for forty five minutes before daring to go after him. She found him around the side of the building, flicking a lighter over his fingers.

"Hey." Emma said quietly as she watched Lee and Ray go past. Bryan's only answer was to slap her around the face. She blinked. "Kai says you're blading tomorrow." Bryan shrugged and turned away again. Emma grabbed his arm. When realising he couldn't escape from it, he turned around, his lavender eyes boring a hole. He grasped her chin between his fingers.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Ray yelled, running over.

"This is between me and her." Bryan growled.

"Well, it's everyone's business if your start mauling her!"

"Ray, leave it, man. Save it for the stadium." Lee tried to reason with him, but Ray ignored him.

"You shouldn't have done that. ! " Bryan snarled. "When we blade tomorrow, you are going to regret that."

"Looking forward to it." Ray tossed his bangs out of his eyes and stared back, defiant.

"Bryan." Emma said in an undertone. "Please don't do anything. Leave it for the stadium. Please." Her voice cracked. "You're becoming more and more like Boris everyday." Bryan froze. He glanced again at Emma.

"I'll see you in the stadium." He growled at Ray, and took off towards the camp.

"Grumpy doesn't even do him justice!" Tyson muttered and Emma shot him the gorgon glare she had been practising. From the way he backed away, it was almost as good as Bryan's. She cocked her head and walked off. If she was quick, maybe she'd be able to catch Bryan alone.

**The next day**

Kasi fiddled with the plait that hung down her back thoughtfully, watching Kai, Bryan and Tala begin their morning regime. It was six thirty in the morning and they all looked rather exhausted. Kasi, having been up since five, did not sympathise with them at all.

"Falborg! Attack!" Bryan yelled, pushing a strand of his lavender hair out of his eyes. Kasi smirked as Falborg narrowly missed colliding with a pyramid of cans, their target. Bryan glared at her and ordered his beyblade into attack again.

"Hello and welcome to the first round of the World Championships! I'm AJ Topper-"

"And I'm Brad Best. Today's match promises to be a good one today, AJ, as Blitzkrieg Omega face off against reigning champions the Bladebreakers!"

"And it looks like the line up is just as exciting, Brad! With Tala and Max facing off against each other in round one, then Bryan and Ray battling for revenge in the second-"

"It's reported there was a lot of controversy over this particular match, AJ! Apparently, the BBA were rather disturbed when Ray made a special request to blade against Bryan, especially after what happened last time!"

"That's right Brad! A true revenge match happening right here in Japan! Oh, it's as good as the wrestling!"

"Umm… Right AJ! And, of course, the third match promises to be a right firecracker, with the cheery and undefeated Tyson pitched against bitter and moody Kai!"

"Let's get down to the stadium with our very own DJ Jazzman!"

"Max? You ok?" Tyson looked as his best friend, who seemed rather nervous.

"Yeah. I'm fine, honest! It's just… I'm a little unnerved about going up against Tala, I mean, he's one of the best, you heard what Suzy said." Max nibbled at one of his blonde bangs, his blue eyes lost in thought.

"You'll beat him!" Ray said grinning widely. He seemed rather over confident for one that was going up against Bryan for the second time in four years.

"Don't be so sure!"

"Aw, chief! You always look on the bad side!"

"The stats I'm getting from Tala's match against Jess of Astro V are very impressive! Even though he was beaten in a matter of minutes, the power radiating from Wolborg just… blew the match away! As you know, Jess relies heavily on Sagittario's ability to absorb the strength of the other bladers attack. The attack that Sagittario gave was phenomenal, so the power that she took from Tala… I don't know, but I don't have a good feeling about this battle!"

"Gee… Thanks chief, now I feel so much better!" Max exclaimed with a nervous grin as he stepped up to the dish.

**Battle 1 – Tala v Max**

The red headed Russian that stepped up to the dish was a far cry from the cocky and confident blader of the past week. Tala was prepared to put anything on the line to win back the pride he once had. He knew the others didn't blame him as such (apart from Bryan) but he had caused them a lot of shame in the tournament, exaggerating his role as the joker and idiot. But a week of fasting and Jesus of Suburbia blaring in his ears had prepared him emotionally for this match. He clutched Wolborg tightly, the edges of the blade cutting into his hand, making Max gasp.

Seeing the pale blader so quiet was one thing, but watching blood drip down the said blader's white fingers was something else.

"Um… Ok…" Jazzman tapped his mike uneasily. Both bladers turned to him. He visibly quailed under Tala's icy blue glare. They turned away again. "3-2-1… LET IT RIP!"

"Wolborg!" Tala screamed, just wanting to get this match out the way with. "Go for the kill!" Max groaned and brought his hands up to protect himself.

"Draciel!" He yelled. But it wasn't his usual attack. For some reason, Draciel had formulated a new attack. Tala yelled as he was thrown against the stadium floor, Wolborg narrowly missing flying out of the dish.

"Wolborg!" Tala yelled as he struggled back up. "NOVAE ROG!" Max closed his eyes against the icy barrage of wind. When he opened them again, all was quiet. Both beyblades were still spinning.

"Draciel! Attack!" Yet again, the mysterious attack Draciel had formulated in mere seconds appeared. Tala appeared to mentally pacing himself, but even he was no match for the wall of strength. He screamed as both he and Wolborg were thrown to the stadium floor. Or not. A pair of gloved hands held Tala up.

"Я сударыня сожалеющий мой приятель,"Tala whispered. Max furrowed his brow. He knew those hands. And he knew the voice that answered.

"Don't worry. You bladed better than I could." Kai told him softly, swinging one of Tala's arms around his shoulders. Bryan appeared to help them, grabbing Tala's other arm and doing the same.

"Aaaaand…. Max wins!"

"Woo!" Tyson, Ray, Kenny, Daichi and Hilary cheered. "Go Maxy!" Max gave Ray a thumbs up as he headed to take his place. Ray grinned back confidently.

_You have no idea how long I've waited to do this. How long I've wanted to get one over on you. How long I've wanted to punish you for what you did._

_If I hadn't won, you would have taken over the world. And who says that isn't what you're doing now? Using Biovolt Psykick to take the suspicion off of you. Let everyone think you're good guys now. Well, let me tell you something, Bryan. A LEOPARD DOESN'T CHANGE ITS SPOTS._

_With my new attack, you have no chance. I will be victorious this time, Bryan. And it's you that will be in pain._

_And you fully deserve it._

**Battle 2 – Bryan v Ray**

Both bladers stared at each other, willing the other to back down. Lavender clashed with amber, Russian with Chinese, burly against lithe, emotionless against emotional. They'd been waiting for this day all their lives.

"Bryan!нота до не терять сердце!" Kai called suddenly. To Ray's surprise, the burly lavender haired boy's face split into a smile.

"нота до паника!" He replied, his eyes gleaming.

"You can do it Ray!" Mariah yelled suddenly from the audience. Ray smiled at her, flushing slightly.

"он воля толчок сокр легко!" Ian snickered. Bryan spun round.

"Don't be so sure!" He growled.

"Ok! Let's get this battle underway, yeah?" Jazzman looked at the bladers. Ray nodded, Bryan glared. "3-2-1…….. LET IT RIP!"

"You aren't going to win this time!" Bryan snarled angrily. "I'll make you pay for what you did to me, and for what you did yesterday!"

"What I did to you? Apart from crush your blade, I did nothing!" Ray sneered back.

"Bryan, нет!" Kasi cried out.

"You caused me pain. You made me lose!" Bryan's stare was getting a little too intense for Bryan.

"**Well, Brad! This battle's getting interesting, but the blades haven't done anything yet!"**

"SHUT UP!" Bryan and Ray yelled together.

"You're mad." Ray then proceeded to stammer. "You caused me pain."

"If that was pain for you… You are one lucky guy, Ray. Have you ever realised that?" Bryan suddenly ripped at the open necked shirt he wore, tearing it off. Ray gasped. Despite from the disconcerting facts that (a) Bryan's torso was far too pale and (b) his muscles were rather… developed for a guy of his age, there was one other thing that the spotlight showed up perfectly. Almost every inch of his body was scarred and, as Bryan straightened up, he could see several stab wounds, some that only looked like they'd been caused the day before. Most unnerving and disconcerting of all was the fact that there was one directly above his heart – or where his heart would have been if he had one. Bryan seemed impervious to the gasps and screams from the crowd as he faced Ray. "Now we understand each other, shall we get down to this battle?" Ray nodded and the two bladers turned their bodies towards the stadium again.

"Falborg! Stroblitz!" Bryan yelled, but Ray was ready for him.

"Driger! Counter attack!" Bryan staggered backwards, but otherwise remained resistant to Ray's attack. "I don't care what your deluded mind thinks I've done to you, but you're going down!"

"Course." Bryan scoffed. "I'll believe that when Ian learns to tap dance. Or maybe when he can reach the top of the fishbowl with no help. In other words: _Not gonna happen_." Ray chuckled softly.

"I've been working on this attack for ages. Since I last beat you. So no one could ever try and do what you did to me. And I want to tell you something, Bryan. A tiger never changes its stripes." Bryan's shoulders hunched. "A white tiger. DRIGER! CHANGE OF STRIPES!" Bryan screamed as the white tiger bore down on him. Bryan's old scars began to open again until he was lying in a sea of blood. And still Driger bore down. New scars began to appear. The pale Russian was a mass of blood. Suddenly, there was a screech. Ray covered his ears in pain. Falborg wrapped his wings around Bryan and gave another raucous screams. Driger began to dissolve back into its bit chip. The battle had been won.

But at what price?

Ray was shocked. How could Falborg have done that? Falborg was specially created for Bryan, wasn't he? Incapable of doing anything but following orders. Then, how could he have lost?

"Ray! Well done!" Mariah cried, throwing her arms around him. Ray wriggled out, then suddenly he was on the floor, blood pouring from his nose. Kai landed heavily on top of him, punching Ray's unprotected stomach. Ray hit Kai back, on the cheek. He had the satisfaction of knowing he had caused blood before Spencer pulled the blue haired Russian off, tucking him under his arm before dropping him on the other side of the stadium. It was weird to see Kai acting like a common street rat, and he looked far from his posh Russian status. He became aware of Lee staring at him.

"What's wrong?" Ray asked, trying to make a joke of it. "Did Kai spoil my good looks?" Lee looked sickened and backhanded Ray. "What the-" he gasped, holding a hand to his stinging cheek.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Ray?" Lee yelled, his black hair swinging behind him. "I mean, sure, he injured you pretty bad, but compared to what you just did, he threw a snowball at you! That was sick."

"Lee, mate-" Ray grabbed his shoulder as he turned away.

"I'm not your mate, Ray. After what I saw today, I don't want to be. I thought I knew you, after you explained why you left the village. But it seems you changed more than I thought, and it wasn't for the better!" Kevin nodded his agreement and the two of them walked off.

"What?" Ray snapped at Tyson and Max, who'd come up to see what was all the commotion. "Do you agree with him as well?"

"Well, the thing is… I kind of do, Ray," Max, said, looking at his feet. "I just think… well, don't be surprised if Boris comes up to you with a job offer." Ray caught Tala staring at him and had an uncanny feeling the red head had heard every word. Tala smirked, proving the thought.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Jazzman yelled into his microphone, looking around. "After that ground shaking match that just happened, it had emerged that the dish will stand no more pressure. Therefore, we are postponing the final match, which will total who wins and who loses. The last match will take place tomorrow, at no extra cost to those who have purchased tickets for todays!"

Bryan splashed his face with water. To his disgust, his hands were shaking, though whether from pain or otherwise, he couldn't tell. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and looked away again. His pale face was marred with angry red welts and his lavender eyes were blurry and unfocused.

"Ouch." Said a familiar voice behind him. "I can safely say that that's the worst injuries I've ever come across in my entire blading career." Bryan spun round.

Garland was leaning on the doorframe.

"Relax!" Garland said, holding out his hands in a surrender motion.

"What do you want?" Bryan growled, turning back to the sink.

"I'm not a bad guy now, you of all people should know that. I work for the BBA."

"Yeah, well so did the guy that did this to me!"

"God's struth!" Garland muttered under his breath. "I was sent by Mr Dickinson to check you were ok. Honest." Bryan glared at him before splashing his face again, wincing as the sharp water hit his cuts.

"I'm fine. Now will you go?"

"For God's sake, Bryan! You aren't the only one who's come out from under Boris! Although I never suffered as much as you did, I can see very well that you aren't fine!"

"OK! I'm not fine! My hands won't stop shaking, my face is covered with scars caused by a bit beast, I have a splitting headache and… and… I'm scared." Bryan covered his face with his hands. "I'm scared, ok? I don't know what happened out there! And I'm worried it could happen again…" He whispered, a single tear tracking down his cheek. Garland looked disturbed.

"Ok, I asked you if you were fine, but I didn't expect you to do a full emotional u-turn and act like this! God, I've been hanging around Marcus too much!" Bryan stared at him and punched him on the arm. "That was a friendly punch, right?" Garland asked as the door opened. Bryan shrugged.

"That's usually how I hit Kai." He said thoughtfully. "I don't know if there's anything that qualifies as a 'friendly' punch, especially with me involved!" Garland smirked.

"How true." Ray said, getting a bottle of water from the vending machine. Bryan growled. Garland took one look at Bryan and stepped clearly out the way, turning his back, so he couldn't actually say he'd seen what was about to happen. The door opened again and Lee walked in.

Bryan grabbed Ray by his shirt, shoving him up against the wall. The mocking hatred in Ray's eyes quickly turned to fear. Bryan turned away.

"Garland!" He called. "I know you aren't looking, but could you pass me my bag? It's the black one, with the 'B' and the 'K' on it." Garland nodded and threw him the rucksack.

"Out of interest, what does the 'K' stand for?" Garland asked as Bryan balanced it on his knee.

"Lighter, no, rope, no, how to make nuclear weapons, no, fluffy bunny, no," He muttered, chucking things out of his backpack. Ray swallowed at the content that was spilling over the floor. "Huh? The 'K'? Stands for kills, or course!" Ray uttered a little cry, looking more than a little terrified. "Just kidding. My last name, Kyznetsov." Garland exchanged a look with Lee. "Ah ha! Bingo!" Bryan murmured, bringing out a gleaming and well polished knife. He pressed it against his thumb and a bright drop of blood dripped down his hand. "I knew I should have sharpened it before I left. It's not nearly sharp enough. Oh well." He pressed the knife against Ray's neck.

"Hey-" Garland began. Lee held out an arm.

"He knows what he's doing. He needs his revenge." He said quietly, turning his dark eyes on Garland. He stopped, but nodded.

"Tell me, Ray. Have you ever known fear?" Bryan hissed in Ray's ear, pressing the knife down gently. "Ever known true fear? Desperation? Pain? Ever known anything aside from what goes on in your happy go lucky life? No? Well, it seems I'm going to have to teach you…" Garland made a move to stop Bryan, but Lee pointed to one of the books on the floor. It was a biology book, plotting of where major blood vessels and organs etc. Bryan knew what he was doing. He trailed the knife down lower. Suddenly, he got to Ray's calf. Automatically, both Garland and Lee knew what he was going to do. Bryan plunged the knife into Ray's leg, delighting in the scream that Ray gave as he collapsed in a heap on the floor.

For a moment, Garland and Lee saw the true monster within Bryan, the one that Boris had created. And then he was back to being the same person they knew, throwing things back into his bag and walked towards the door.

Lee grabbed his arm suddenly and Bryan spun around. A tense moment followed, where they looked at each other.

"Good on you, mate." Lee said quietly. Bryan nodded and walked out, looking to all the world like a normal schoolboy.

But later, when Lee was alone, he remembered that look, when he had seen into Bryan's soul. When he'd seen the true Bryan. It was nothing like anything anyone had ever told him.

The true Bryan was very scared.

The true Bryan was a young boy.

**Wahoo! Ten pages! That was great fun to write, I hope you enjoyed it. The Russian translations are as followed: **

**When Tala talks to Kai, it's 'I am sorry, my friend. Kai yells 'Don't lose heart' to Bryan, who replies 'Don't panic'. Ian then says that Ray will beat Bryan easily, and the last piece of Russian is Kasi yelling no… at least I think that's right!**


	11. Chapter 10: Where Kai and Tyson Face Off

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

**Right… As promised, the final battle of the first match… You know what; I might actually put Astro V in it… Oh yeah, and the big italic bit that's coming up… it's a dream, at least I think it is.**

Chapter 10

Neither Tyson nor Kai had a good night's sleep the night before their battle.

Tyson jumped at the knock on the door.

"Come in!" He yelled, switching channels on the TV. He heard someone open the door, and then there was a large thump. They ran out to see what was going on.

Ray was slumped on the floor, tears of pain pouring down his face. Hilary screamed as she saw blood ooze its way from the cut at the back of Ray's leg.

"Ray, who did this to you?" Max asked, helping him onto the sofa.

"Bryan – and Garland – and Lee – watched," Ray gasped.

Max and Tyson looked at each other in bewilderment. Lee?

No one batted an eyelid when Bryan slouched in, covered in Ray's blood.

"I'm going to have a shower!" He yelled, slightly limping from the attack earlier. He locked the door, not that there was much use in that, as all of them could pick a lock as simple as the one on the door. He reached to turn the shower on, but then decided against it. He ran the tap in the sink when there was a knock on the door.

"I'm coming in, Bryan." Kasi's low voice floated through the door. "So if you're doing anything indecent, pray stop." Bryan rolled his eyes as she opened the door, shutting it behind her. "Let's have a look at these scars then." She muttered, helping Bryan pull off the remaining rag that was his shirt. Most girls would have flinched at the scars on Bryan's back, but Kasi wasn't most girls. She was unique.

Kasi could have easily been mistaken for a cyborg or a robot, but she was completely human. She could either be very motherly, like she was now, or she could be the vicious killing machine that most people saw. As she sponged down Bryan's back, she murmured soothing things in Russian, her melodious voice soaring as it often did when she spoke in her native language. When she ran out of things to say, Kasi and Bryan just talked. About anything and everything. Everything seemed normal.

Until the night.

"I've called 911." Kenny said sitting down next to Tyson as Ray stumblingly recounted his encounter with Bryan. They'd called Mariah as soon as Ray had arrived and she was cradling Ray's head. There was another knock at the door and Max opened it to admit the paramedics.

"Mariah, if you go with Ray, the rest of us will go down to the office and get one of them to come with us. It's rules, you know." He said, pulling on his jacket. The Bladebreakers, minus Ray, of course, trooped down to the front desk.

"Um, excuse me?" Hilary said, leaning over the desk. "Our friend's just gone with the paramedics, but we'll need a companion to go with us. Is there anyone available?"

Brooklyn was woken up by Garland when he eventually came in. He groaned and rolled over, switching on the table lamp.

"And where have you been?" He said, watching as Garland pulled off his shirt and climbed into the bed next to Brooklyn.

"I _told _you. I was on duty!" Garland muttered, throwing a pillow at Brooklyn.

"Duty doesn't take that long!" Brooklyn threw it back. Garland ducked, the pillow hit Mystel. Suddenly, Garland's face took on a listening expression and he flopped onto the bed, looking to all the world that he was asleep. Brooklyn realised why when the door opened.

"Ah! Brooklyn, you're up." Mr Dickinson said, putting his head around the door. "I don't suppose you'd be able to go on duty now? We have a little situation down the front."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Brooklyn muttered, directing a glare at Garland when Mr Dickinson wasn't looking. "Just give me… twenty seconds."

"I'll be down by the front desk. I think you'll be going with Zoe, if she's awake, which she probably is." Brooklyn nodded and pulled on a navy blue shirt, grabbed a long leather jacket and, as an afterthought, picked up his iPod and hung it round his neck.

"I'm going to kill you, Garland Seabalt!" He muttered and exited, Garland chuckling softly behind him.

Max jumped as Brooklyn came thundering down the stairs, looking half asleep.

"Zoe not here yet?" He mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

"I am here." He jumped as Zoe came up behind him.

"You're driving." He said, throwing a set of keys to Zoe. Beside Max, Tyson groaned. It seemed that a lot of old enemies were going to be around this tournament.

Suddenly there was a scream. A terrified scream, a girl. Mystel flew down the stairs, pulling his shirt on as he did.

"Hiro's just coming." He panted. "We'll go and see what the scream was."

Kasi turned in her sleep. The band around her chest seemed too tight…

_A little girl. Not older than seven was in a corner of the room. Her violet eyes were full of tears, her black hair hung in limp strands. She cringed away from the man that stood in front of her, the tears rolling down her cheeks as he lifted her up. His hands fastened around her throat, she found it hard to breathe. Eventually, he dropped her and she screamed…_

"Kasi!" Someone was stroking her forehead. "Kasi, please wake up!" An unfamiliar face swam around her as she opened her eyes. She screamed, panting. She couldn't breathe. She covered her eyes as the room began to come into focus. A pair of arms wrapped around her and she uncovered her eyes slowly, like a small child. She found herself staring into a pair of concerned lavender eyes. She gasped for breath, relieved that she recognised them. "Tala!" She heard Kai call. "Her inhaler, it's in her bag!" In no time, her deep purple inhaler was pressed into her hands. She inhaled several times, catching her breath back slowly.

"What's going on?" Unfamiliar voices rang throughout their sleeping quarters. She recognised two of the ex BEGA bladers there, evidently she had woken them up. Kai pushed back her heavy curtain of hair and looked into her face.

"You better now?" He murmured, as Spencer wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She closed her eyes, focusing her thoughts.

"I think so." She replied. Ian forced a hot drink into her hands. She smiled softly at him and sipped it.

Max sighed and opened the passenger seat door. Mind you, he didn't envy the other guys, under the watchful eye of Brooklyn. Zoe finished talking to Mr Dickinson (the conversation seemed to revolve around Zoe saying "No, I won't set fire to anyone!") and slid into the driving seat, securing her phone in the handset.

"Do you know what hospital he's in?" She said quietly.

"Umm… Central Great Mark." Max replied, looking closely at the girl who had almost set fire to his dad. She didn't look so tough, close up. Suddenly, a tone came out of no where. Max recognised it as a Greenday song; they were on the radio a lot. Zoe pressed a button on her phone.

"Zoe Albus, what the hell do you want?"

"Hey," There was a snicker from the other end of the phone. Zoe sighed.

"Mystel, I repeat: what the hell do you want?"

"Just thought you might like to find out about the scream… Hiro would ring, but he reckons you might try to burn the phone down if he rang."

"Too true. So, what was it?"

"One of Blitzkrieg Omega had a panic attack." This was met with a hushed silence as the Bladebreakers tried to take it in.

"Which one?" Brooklyn asked from behind.

"Kasi. The girl, you know. Apparently the attack on Bryan earlier on triggered memories, but she could keep them at bay until she slept. She's an asthmatic, which could also have had something to do with it. Garland will have a chat with her tomorrow." Zoe nodded and switched her phone off.

There was a stony silence until they got to the hospital.

**Next day – about six am**

Garland picked up his speed. He wanted to get to the gym before anyone else was there, so he could leave good and early, so no one would see him and asked him awkward questions about the day before. But it seems someone got there before him.

He stepped into the gym gently, hoping he wouldn't be noticed. Even if Garland had been an elephant, he wouldn't have noticed, because Kasi Rosetti was completely intense on her training.

Bitterly aware of the fact that everyone knew about her panic attack the night before, Kasi was currently taking out her anger and frustration on the punch bag in front of her. Her black hair was coiled on top of her head, her cloak forgotten and her dress whirling around her as she punched. Bare knuckle, of course. Kasi and Bryan thought very scornfully of any loser who wore pads on their knuckles. With one final punch, and a death scream in Russian, the bag fell to the floor, sand spilling out. She began to kick it angrily, pushing it against the wall in her anger.

"I don't think you're going to get another punch out of that." Garland muttered, leaning against the wall. Kasi spun around, her fists clenched, ready for action.

"Is it any of your business? What are you doing here so early, anyway?" She growled, pulling the pins out of her hair.

"I'm here to avoid awkward questions. And yourself?" He watched as Kasi plaited her hair.

"I'm here every morning. I had a late start today, because of the attack last night." Her cold violet eyes bore into him.

"Look, if you really want to know, I'm with you guys. I was the guy sent after Bryan to check he was ok, and I really think what Ray did was wrong. So will you stop glaring at me like I'm the devil himself?"

Kasi smirked and grabbed a bottle of water. She pulled her cloak back on and looked at Garland.

"Trust me, I can go worse than the devil incarnate glare. But I generally reserve that for Voltaire and Boris." She picked up a walkman and checked the cd. Garland peeked over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow when he saw the cd.

"The Phantom of the Opera?"

"Your problem? Damn good music, I'll have you know."

And, with that, she left the room, her cape flying out behind her.

**Battle 3 – Kai v Tyson**

Kai stepped up to the dish, clearing his mind of everything that had happened. Unbeknownst to Kasi, after her panic attack, he'd sat up the rest of the night, just watching her sleep. His sister was dearer to him than he'd admit.

Tyson was just as tired. Ray's condition had been worse than they thought, and he'd lost a lot of blood but un luckily he'd survived.

So both of them were shattered already.

"You've changed a lot Kai. I'm not even sure I know you, well, however little I did know of you. One thing is certain. Hanging around with Bryan and Tala, you've changed into the sort of person they are." Tyson stared at Kai. Kai stared back.

"You never did know me, Tyson. Well, if you did, it pales into significance. I'm going to beat you today. And show the world that I'm just as good as you, if not better!"

"Today, folks, we have new dish!" Jazzman yelled into his microphone. "It's called the sudden death dish! It may seem similar to the dish these two bladers battled in last time, and it's the same principle, but the first blader to hit the stadium floor loses!" He waited for the bladers to digest facts, before continuing. "So… 3-2-1… LET IT RIP!" Tyson released his beyblade into the dish, watching out of the corner of his eye as Kai did the same. The beyblades circled the dish predatorily and the bladers glared at each other.

"Last time you cheated me of the title, Tyson." Kai growled, his crimson eyes reflecting his blue beyblade. "This year, I will earn what's rightfully mine!"

"If it was rightfully yours, you would have won it years ago!" Tyson yelled.

"All you ever did was just put off the imminent take over that Biovolt wants. You think you stopped it, you just prolonged the suffering. But I've spent years honing my talents, working on my skills. Even before you knew me. And for what? For some ignorant fool with an IQ of seven, a big mouth and an even bigger appetite to just waltz in and beat me?"

"Don't do a Bryan on me and go all loony!" Tyson warned.

"Don't worry. I don't need to scare you to beat you." Kai spat. "Ray isn't the only one that has a new attack! Dranzer! Wall of fire!" The phoenix gave a horrendous screech and a ball of white light blinded Tyson. But when he got his sight back, Kai hadn't attacked. Nothing seemed to have happened. "I want to win Tyson, but not that easily. You aren't even trying!"

"Huh! I'll show you!" Tyson said, not realising that was what Kai wanted. "Dragoon! Galaxy Turbo Twister!"

"Excellent. So predictable, Tyson. Just what I wanted you to do." Kai snickered, pointing to the twin turbines Tyson had raised. As Tyson watched, the insides of the tornados began to glow red and fire began to bulge out of the net like hurricanes. Suddenly, the turbines gave way and both beyblades were catapulted out of the dish, striking the platforms the two bladers were standing on. Then, Tyson's gave way, followed a split second after by Kai's. As it was, Tyson hit the ground first.

The news was met with a stony silence. Then Kasi and Hilary jumped into the dishes, pulling the two boys out. For once, Kasi was smiling.

"Ladies… Ladies and Gentlemen! Blitzkrieg Omega have won the first round!" The crowd burst into applause.

"Tyson!" Kai's hoarse voice carried through the stadium. Tyson spun around, expecting one final jab. "A bit of role reversal here." Kai muttered, his eyes warmer than Tyson had ever seen. "But good game, yeah? One loss, doesn't mean much, does it?"

"We'll still beat you in the finals." Tyson grinned. Kai raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I wouldn't count on it." He walked away to his team.

"See! I told you! You just beat Tyson, you idiot!" Suzy ran into Kai's arms, almost knocking him flying. He blinked, slightly startled. She pulled away and put on a low voice. "I don't know Suzy. Maybe I'm just past my prime. Maybe I should just retire, Suzy." Kai couldn't help it – a tiny smile appeared on his face, lifting the corners of his mouth.

"Well?" Katt looked at her twin. "They've really improved since we beat them. Do you think, if we go up against them again, do you think we'll beat them?"

"Pass the chocolate." Jess grumbled.

Kane crossed his legs, his blue hair falling in front of his eyes. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he wasn't so sure about blading. As per usual, he had a strange feeling that he was on the wrong side. He'd thought Dr Gideon had been scary, but this… man, if he was that, terrified him. Scared him out of his wits. Not that he'd admit it, of course. He stood up again, stretching his arms and yawning. He knocked on the door.

"Come in." A deep voice came from within. Kane swallowed and pushed the door open.

"Stupid Mariah." Kevin grumbled, pulling himself onto the roof of the hotel they were lodging at. "Why do I have to do everything around here? Just because I'm smaller than them, and I'm better looking than them… and I'm smarter than them…" He was so content in his self pity that he didn't notice the green haired boy that scrambled up beside him.

"You do know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, right?" Kevin jumped, staring at the youngster next to him.

"What's the second sign?" Kevin asked, taking in the uniform the blader was wearing.

"Purple and green spots on your hands." The blader widened his eyes slightly as Kevin checked his palms. "Third sign's looking for them."

"Hey!" Kevin protested. "That's not fair!"

"Gets them going every time." The blader snickered. "I'm Joseph, from the Saint Shields. You're Kevin, right? White Tiger X?"

"Yeah…" Kevin trailed off, confused. "How did you-?"

"Ozuma insists that we learn everything about our future opponents. Ozuma's my sister's boyfriend, by the way, and our team leader."

"Haven't seen you here before." Kevin snickered. Joseph shrugged.

"I have a lot of secret places. It takes time to visit them all." The grin on Joseph's face was only matched by the one on Kevin's. "Come on, I'll show them to you!"

Ozuma closed his eyes, composing the emotions that were flying through him.

The intense blader rarely smiled anymore. Not since being cast out from his clan for failing to secure the four bit beasts. His green eyes were always dim with pain, and his hands shook when he bladed. If it wasn't for Mariam, he would have given up a long time ago. But her and her brother had brought happiness into his grey life; their eagerness to add him into their family surprised him.

He'd never had a proper family; his life had revolved around securing the four bit beasts. From the minute he could hold a blade, he'd been practicing, from the minute he could walk he'd been training. And all for nothing.

Submitting his team to this, the fourth tournament, was a decision that he had not made lightly. He realised that he would probably not be welcomed back with open arms.

Tyson held a grudge against people that went against him, no matter what he said. You just had to see how he treated Tala and the rest of Blitzkrieg Omega. And the way he treated the BBA backups, in particular Garland, Brooklyn and Mystel. Not to forget Hiro. So, his battles would be interesting.

Katt pulled on her jacket and swung herself out of the window. She heard a chuckle behind her as Jess closed it, knowing she was there.

The Morgan's preferred to use windows rather than doors, because, they said it made them feel free. But it certainly wasn't free when they broke them.

She needed to feel the fresh air on her face. To compose herself, show that she was just as good as anyone else, without her sister always butting in.

Don't get her wrong; Katt loved being a spiritual triplet. They didn't always need to talk; they knew what the others were thinking. But, being five foot three wasn't a great deal of fun. Katt realised that she was about average height for the bladers that had congregated in Japan. Ici was slightly below average, at five foot and Jess… well, only Bryan, Kasi, Robert, Spencer and a couple of The Stallions were bigger than five foot ten.

Jess was the bigger, the stronger, the better fighter, the scarier. And Katt couldn't help but feel jealous.

"Suze!" Kai threw a handful of gravel up at the girl's window. Despite it sounding like pistol shots in the night, there was no answer. "Suzy!" He raised his voice a little. After what seemed like a lifetime, Suzy poked her head out of the window, her red curls flying behind her. Now that he had her attention, Kai knew he had to act fast before she pummelled or 'marmalised' him. "Care for a walk?" Suzy rolled her eyes and shut the window, withdrawing her head first. Kai gave a heartfelt sigh, but was unsurprised when a pair of gloved hands covered his eyes from behind.

"Boo." Suzy whispered teasingly in his ear, yet again showing that she was a quarter of an inch taller than him, if you didn't count his hair, of course. "Come on, we better get going before Johnny finds out we've gone!" Kai grabbed Suzy's hand and pulled her into the forest.

"Why? We've been waiting out here for the last two days. I hate to say this, Mark, but I think you've been stood up." Stuart complained, dodging the hit that was inevitable from the big blader. Carlos grabbed Mark's arm.

"He deserves answers. We all do." He said quietly, his dark eyes boring into Mark's.

Since Carlos was defeated by Tyson, he'd become a different guy. They all had, really, with Stuart learning to keep quiet around Mark, who's temper had increased, with Lex becoming more mouthy and sure of himself and Carlos going deeper into himself, trying to find answers to the questions that troubled him at night, yet were unfamiliar to him in the day.

"You remember those two girls that beat us, years back? Whilst Kai was still here?" Mark sighed, crossing his arms. Carlos and Stuart exchanged looks, wondering what the hell Mark was on about. "Well, they're here. They're battling in the tournament. And I want revenge."

Carlos and Stuart looked at each other as they both silently debated the matter of their leader and team-mate's sanity. Suddenly, Lex grabbed Mark's arm and silently pointed to the edge of the clearing, where Katt had appeared from nowhere, singing under her breath.

"Shh!" Suzy placed a finger to Kai's lips. "I can hear something!"

"But I wasn't talking!" Kai complained under his breath. Suzy glared at him and began to scale the nearest tree. Kai swung himself up beside her, as she looked out towards the clearing. Kai's eyes narrowed as he recognised the voices and he wrapped an arm around Suzy, hugging her close.

He stiffened at the feel of cold metal on the nape of his neck.

"What are you doing here?" Katt asked as Kai was lead into the clearing. She rose onto her tiptoes as someone else was brought in, then realised it was Suzy. "On second thoughts, I don't want to know. I just had dinner."

Kai glared at her angrily, but didn't say anything.

"Looks like we got a bit luckier than I thought." Mark chuckled, only to be met with the coldest stare ever to have come from a certain pair of crimson eyes. It stunned him into silence.

"Haven't I beaten you some where before?" Katt asked, in a deliberately vague tone. She stiffened slightly – only slightly – as Lex pulled his gun on her. After a deliberate pause, Carlos and Stuart did the same.

"What's happening?" Kai asked, his face the most emotional anyone had seen in a long time. "I knew you were a nasty piece of work, Mark, but I didn't think you'd be up to killing anyone. That was more my other team." Mark swung around, but Kai didn't even flinch. He shrugged himself free of the goons that held him and walked up to Stuart, who he was probably the closest to. "What's happened? When did you all change?" He asked quietly, astutely noticing the uneasiness Stuart felt at the close proximity. Kai wasn't surprised when he felt a gun pressed between his shoulder blades.

"If you want to know," Carlos' voice drawled from behind him. "It happened pretty soon after you left us in the lurch."

"What do you want?" Kai asked, staring into Mark's eyes.

"We went the girl."

"What, this one?" Kai motioned nonchalantly at Katt. "You can have her."

"Незаконнорожденный." Katt muttered under her breath, glaring at the blue haired boy.

Suzy rolled her eyes. She wasn't one to stereotype, but she was beginning to get the impression that most Russians weren't exactly the social type.

The three of them formed a triangle, back to back, no one was unprotected.

"Do we use blades?" Katt murmured, so that only Suzy and Kai could hear her.

"No!" Kai snapped. "These guys may look like idiots," He began, blocking a punch that came his way, "But their blading isn't too bad," Katt's foot landed in Mark's… place where the sun don't shine, "And their reading of the game is superb," Suzy bit Lex's arm as it came to her.

After a while, the three bladers got bored of this, and easily escaped.

"Where are you going?" Suzy asked. It had started to rain and her red hair was sticking to her head. "The hotel's back that way!"

"Yeah, about that… I'm going to take a detour… Through Russia!"

"Johnny's waiting…Oh!" Suzy's violet eyes widened.

"Yeah… I don't fancy being killed by a Scottish lunatic!" Kai looked at her properly for the first time that night. She saw the slight glimmer in his eyes that was the only thing that proved he was happy. She swung an arm around his shoulders and steered him towards the hotel.

"Don't worry; I'll make sure Johnny's isn't too mad." She teased.

"There's a slight difference between your version of madness and mine!" Kai replied, grabbing her around the waist and spinning her around.

**Umm… Hey! I'm not going to translate the piece of Russian, it's a bad word! So yeah, you can imagine. Oh yeah, if you'd like any favourite character to appear in this fic, request it in a review and I'll see what I can do! (Unless it's a character I really really really don't like! **


	12. Chapter 11: Two Words: Baseball Bat!

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V

**This is what you could call parallel time. It will focus on what the other two members of Astro V were doing whilst Katt was out singing (Is it only me that is reminded of 'Wishing you were somehow here again' from the Phantom of the Opera when I read that?) and it will have a few mentions of other cast members.**

Chapter 11

Jess sighed and turned the TV over.

_I'm bored_. She told Ici.

_Do something then_.

_Like what? If you have a gun, I might go and shoot Tyson… Do you have a gun?_

_Do I look like I have one?_

_Well, you might…_

She tried Katt, but all she got was a blank screen. It was kind of like MSN, Jess thought. Your brain tells you who's online and who's not.

"Jess?" Ici said nervously. Jess sighed again and turned to Ici, switching the TV to mute.

"What?"

"Well… There's something I want to do… You don't have to come, but I would feel better…"

"I repeat: What?"

So he told her. She didn't like it.

"I don't believe you are so stupid! He won't be asleep…" Jess trailed off as she clambered inside the Blitzkrieg Boys apartment. She didn't believe it. They were all asleep.

_Don't talk so loud_, Ici implored her. _He might hear you._

_Then you'd have to give up this stupid plan of yours. _She watched as he launched Virgo so she was circling the sleeping Bryan.

Close up, he didn't look so tough. Sure, he was what, an inch taller than her? And yeah, his glares were creepier than hers. But that didn't mean he was as freaky as she had thought. His face was still marred with abrasions that Ray had inflicted upon him.

"Virgo!" Ici murmured softly. "Castles of Air!"

Jess was scared that somebody might wake up and hear the slow gentle song. She guessed she was jumpy, Virgo had never sounded that loud before. As she watched, the scars on Bryan's face faded and softened.

_That's all I can do_.

_Why? Can't you do something about the scars, not just heal them up?_

_Why are you pushing this? I thought you hated him?_

_Yeah, but… oh to hell with you! It just seems sad that he'll have to live like that._ Jess was heavily aware of the fact that Ici was laughing at her. Suddenly, something struck her attention on Bryan's arm.

There were four methodical looking cuts on Bryan's arm. They looked old, they didn't have the freshness that all his other cuts did, and it was evident that they hadn't opened. In tiny biro, there was a little Russian symbol under each cut. It was hard to read them, even as she watched one of them split and blood began to drip down his arm.

_I…K…S…T…_ She stared at them, wondering what they could mean. It was the K one that was bleeding. Bryan moaned slightly and turned over, his face now facing Jess. Something stirred within her and she acted completely on impulse. Bending down, she pressed her lips to his forehead.

And then she was away again, thumping Ici as she passed and swinging out the window.

Bryan sat up suddenly, his lavender hair falling in front of his eyes as he did so. He squinted into the darkness and made out a faint shape.

"Kai?" He murmured, checking the time on the clock. "It's 1:00 AM! Where the hell have you been?"

"Out." Kai muttered, pulling his shirt over his head and curling up on his bed. But it was obvious that he knew Bryan wasn't going to drop the subject, as he hadn't bothered to pull the covers up, so Bryan could see the vicious whip marks that scarred his back.

"Who with?"

"Suzy… and Katt Morgan from Astro V…" Bryan couldn't see Kai's face in the darkness, but he would bet his beyblade that he was blushing. "Plus, all of my old team."

"Bladebreakers, old team?"

"No, Sharks old team."

"Well, Hiwatari! I wouldn't have taken you for that sort of man!" Bryan chuckled as Kai chucked all the things that came to hand at him.

"You bloody pervert, Bryan Kyznetsov!" He said furiously, turning around and pulling the covers up. Bryan rolled his eyes and lay down to go back to sleep, and then realised something.

He switched on the table light, which resulted in all his team-mates waking up in various stages of depression and exhaustion.

"What the hell?" Tala muttered blearily. Ian muttered something indistinguishable, and probably not too nice, under his breath. Spencer just turned around and tried to get back to sleep. Kai hadn't moved. Knowing him, he was probably asleep.

"Sorry!" Bryan apologised, which was a thing in itself. Well, this is Bryan Kyznetsov we are talking about. "I just wanted to check something." Bryan squinted hard at his arm, he couldn't believe it. "Tala, do you see something weird about my arm?" The red head looked at it.

"You don't have all those scars that Ray got you… oh no, they're still there, but… hey! They've all healed up!" Kai sat up in shock, clambered out of bed and grabbed Bryan's arm roughly.

"Hey! Ow!" Bryan muttered, but visibly quailed under the look Kai gave him. Kai scrutinised his arm thoughtfully.

"This stinks of that trick that Ici played on Hester." He growled, before clambering into bed.

"What? But-" Bryan stopped as he was assaulted by four pillows. "Ok! I can take a hint!"

_Jess._

_Huh? Katt? Where are you?_

_Downstairs._

_So why you wake me up?_

_Sheesh! What's your name, Carlotta?_

_Shut it, Katryna Naioka Morgan!_

_You use the names, so can I, Jessrayvhen Cassandra Morgan!_

_Whadyawant?_

_They kinda won't let me into the suite. Rules are all bladers in by ten. _

_And what time is it now? I can't find my watch… no wait, I hit it with my baseball bat yesterday._

_1:00 AM_

_Ok, cool… Hey! You wake me up at 1:00 to say that you've decided to get yourself locked out!_

_Hurry up! It's cold… And they said that they would set security on me…_

**Hey guys! Sorry it's short, but I really wanted to get this up! Naioka1992 – Happy now? Jess has mentioned it!**

**See you round. And guys, please review, I know how many people are reading this.**

**The Wicked Witch of Dinglewell**


	13. Chapter 12: Heart to Heart

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

Chapter 12

"Hello and welcome to the second round of the fourth annual beyblade tournament! I'm AJ Topper-"

"-And I'm Brad Best!"

"Today we have a trip back to memory lane, with The Bladebreakers facing off against the ever-surprising Saint Shields!"

"Let's go to the stadium, where the first two bladers, Mariam and Max will soon face off!"

"Ok Max, after yesterday's, umm ahem, unfortunate fiasco, we need to go out there with our guns blazing."

"Hey! It wasn't a fiasco from me, I won! And no one was severely injured.' Said Max, whilst looking pointedly at Ray.

"Guys, guys! We're a team. We don't argue! Besides, that's Blitzkrieg Omega's job, not ours." Tyson reminded them as he intervened between Max and Ray, in a way that seemed similar to Kai in reference to Bryan and Tala.

"Ozuma? Ozuma are you in there?" Mariam waved a hand in front of her boyfriend's face as she watched her younger brother and Dunga's heated discussion over what was the better ice-cream flavour, Chocolate or Strawberry.

"Strawberry. Definitely Strawberry." Joseph said.

"Uh… Hello? Chocolate is way nicer!" Dunga disagreed.

"Strawberry!"

"Chocolate!"

"Strawberry!"

"Chocolate!"

"Shut up you guys!" Mariam snapped. "Can't you see there's something wrong with Ozuma?" The two boys turned to the only girl on their team hurriedly.

There was something wrong with Ozuma. His green eyes were clouded over, his red and black hair in even more of a disarray than usual. He was murmuring words that made no sense, and they weren't in Japanese. They weren't even Chinese. They were English.

"Ozuma?" Joseph suddenly yelled, clapping a hand on the elder boy's shoulder. He jumped, his green eyes fading into the darkness they usually were.

"I-I'm fine." He stammered, flinching from Mariam's anxious stare.

"You are NOT fine!" Mariam snapped. "Dingbat-" by this she meant Dunga – "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you are replacing Ozuma's battle. Joseph, can you go and tell the BBA guys?" Joseph nodded. As he passed, he whispered in Mariam's ear.

"Take him outside. I'll get them to postpone your match until last."

Mariam smiled slightly at her brother's quick thinking. She placed an arm around Ozuma – she couldn't help noticing how he flinched - and steered him outside.

"Ozuma? What's wrong?" Mariam looked at the scared boy. He shook his head, a single tear tracking down his cheek.

"You wouldn't…" He shook his head again and completely broke down. Mariam wrapped her arms around the smaller boy, feeling his body shake with grief.

"Ozuma, you're our friend. We're a team. We care what happens to you. What scares you scares us…" She whispered in his ear.

"It's stupid… really, it's nothing." He muttered, burying his head in her shoulder.

"Ozuma… If it makes you feel like this, then it really is something. Please, just tell me."

"It's a dream… I get it every night. It's stupid; it's just a dream…" Mariam stiffened.

"A dream? Ozuma, why are you so upset about a dream? Oh no. It's not one of those prophecy thingy dreams, is it?" Ozuma shook his head. She was getting dangerously close to the mark. "Then… Ozuma. Did this dream happen?" Mariam's breath caught in her throat. "But when?"

"When we got back to the village… When Dunga went with his mother and you and Joseph went with your grandfather…" Ozuma had never had any parents, well not that he could remember, anyway. He'd been found in the forests near the Saint-Shield village, it was rumoured that he had been brought up by leopards.

"Oh god… When you went with the elders?" Mariam breathed, beginning to understand. "What did they do to you?" Ozuma's green eyes shadowed.

"I can't tell you…"

"Then don't. But Ozuma, don't hide these things. You're our family. Now we're on our own, we have to stick together. We won't judge you. Not like they did." The two embraced fiercely, more passionate than before. A tune began to float through her head.

_Another turning point a fork stuck in the road…_


	14. Chapter 13: Good grief there's a battle!

The Fourth Tournament

Or

Hijacked by Astro V.

_I wrote the Mariam Max battle whilst watching the amazing Just The Two of Us. It made me extremely emotional, especially the medley, so I really hope you like it. I still think Chris and Jo are the best duet ever to grace the stage, but all the duos singing One Voice makes me feel like crying! I'd like to say Congratulations to Sian and Russell for winning, but Chris – you are the winner in my heart! (Oh yes, blame Naioka1992 for the update, I bet you guys were glad I wasn't updating!) _

Chapter 13

"Sis!" Mariam looked up as she supported Ozuma back into the stadium. Joseph came running towards them. "The BBA have gone mad! They're refusing for us to change anything, which means that Ozuma has to blade! And you're blading in about five minutes!" Mariam gaped and tightened her arm around Ozuma. He unhooked her arm and looked up at her.

"Mariam, you have to blade. You'll be fine." He said in his deep voice, his green eyes looking at her with an undistinguishable emotion in them.

"You only have five minutes, sis!" Joseph hopped from one foot to the other in impatience. Ozuma looked at his young team mate with a small smile on his face, as their eyes met, they understood each other. Mariam looked at them uncertainly, unsure of what they were planning.

"Ozuma? Joseph? DUNGA!" She screamed as the taller boy lifted her up suddenly and ran with her. "Put me down you big oaf!" She battered at him playfully with her fists. All she could hear were her three compatriots – _laughing_. It suddenly struck her. She'd never heard them laugh. She felt as though her heart could burst with love – for her brother, for her boyfriend and for her… friend? She'd never thought of Dunga that way before, but it was becoming clear. They didn't have any family anymore, so they were their own family. She was brought back to earth with a bump – literally – as Dunga dropped her. He suddenly brought her in a hug.

"Good luck." He muttered. She blinked and Joseph threw his arms around her, chirping the same thing. She smiled, properly, for the first time in ages. Ozuma caught her hand as she twisted away from Joseph. To her amazement, he brought it gently to his lips, before the three boys walked away to the sidelines. She shook her head, a small smirk on her face. _Maybe things would work now…_

**Battle 1 – Mariam v Max**

Max smiled as he saw the Saint-Shields messing about. _We used to be like that once… _he thought sadly. Well, admittedly, there had been no romance in the Bladebreakers, but they'd had the friendship element… not anymore. When had it all changed? When Kai left? After all, seeing him with Blitzkrieg Omega, he didn't seem to be the same Kai that they knew. When Ray had decided to get revenge on Bryan? Maybe that was where it changed; he couldn't even stand to be in the same room as the neko-jin anymore. Whatever it was, it was splitting up the team. Whilst the Bladebreakers and the White Tigers began to drift apart, the _Saint-Shields_ and _Blitzkrieg Omega _were acting like idiots and having fun… acting like idiots was generally not something you would apply to Ozuma or Kai.

The two bladers looked at each other. Once upon a time, Max had had a slight crush on Mariam, but he knew that she was taken, by the way Ozuma acted. Now he'd have to look for someone else… Oh no, didn't he take Emily to the last dance? Max sweat dropped. _Oops, silly me!_

"Max?" Max came back to his senses as Mariam stared at him. "Hello? Anyone in there? I mean, they told me blondes were dumb, but I didn't think they were that dumb… oh no, wait. There's Dunga." Max grinned slightly as the bluenette tossed back her hair with a cocky glance. But there was no malice in her tone, nor in her glare. It was simply like Tyson teasing Kenny about being smart. Max reckoned he preferred the new Mariam. "Come on! I haven't battled properly in over a year and I am _dying_ to beat you with my new blade!"

"You didn't beat me last time; you won't beat me this time, Mariam!" Max replied, smiling broadly. Smiling like there was no tomorrow, the two launched their blades into the stadium.

"Yes, but now my mission has changed, Maxy. Last time I was trying to secure the four bitbeasts, now I'm fighting for honour for my family!"

"Your family?" Max was confused; she only had Joseph, right?

"Yeah, my team. See, what you Bladebreakers taught us was the fact we weren't friends, we were just team-mates. But it seems that you guys haven't been following your own advice. Even me and Dunga are old hands now. But you and Ray aren't getting along now, are you? Loosen up, Max. Everyone makes mistakes. I've seen bad things happen to my friends, and it's made me and Sharkrash stronger."

"Bad things?" Max was confused.

"I would tell you, but I swore I never would. SHARKRASH! ABYSS FIRE!"

"DRACIEL, DEFEND!" As the two blades crashed together, Max saw exactly what Mariam has been talking about.

"_Ozuma. Mariam. Dunga. Joseph. You have betrayed The Saint-Shield Village. You have failed to secure the four bit beasts and come back with a cock and bull story about them being safe. For this, we cast you out of The Saint-Shield Village."_

"_Where's Ozuma?" Mariam's green eyes were red rimmed as she looked around the gathering. The elder just smirked._

"_You are forbidden from ever coming back, and from contacting anyone." Joseph gave a cry and Mariam wrapped her arms around her brother. "If you do, you will be killed."_

"_You can't just chuck us out!" Mariam yelled, stepping away from her brother, fists raised._

"_If you do not leave this instant, you will be killed." To prove this, the elder drew his sword. Mariam didn't flinch. He stepped forward, flourishing the sword unnecessarily. As it swept across her cheek, she gasped. But suddenly, Dunga was there, pushing the sword away and standing in front of the brother and sister. Salt tears mingled with the blood on her cheek as Joseph hugged her, trying to comfort her._

"_Don't worry." For once, Mariam was glad of how big Dunga was, big and comforting. "We are never coming back."_

"But who would be that evil?" Max gasped. Mariam chuckled.

"This is coming from the boy who faced Boris twice?" Blue battled against emerald. "SHARKRASH! ATTACK AGAIN!"

"_Dunga?" Mariam whispered. Joseph whimpered slightly in his sleep and she shifted him gently in her lap. "Dunga, is that you?"_

"_Yeah. Is Joseph ok?" The blonde sat down beside Mariam and pulled her into a one armed hug._

"_He's fine. Any sign of Ozuma?" She relaxed in his arms as the fire flickered beside them._

"_There's nothing. Nada. Can't see any sign of him. I hate to sound horrible, but have you ever thought they might have killed him?" Mariam stiffened as a leopard growl echoed through the clearing._

"_He's not dead. I can feel it."_

"_What's that?" Joseph suddenly sat up, his green hair in disarray. _

"_The leopards?" Dunga asked, ruffling his hair._

"_No… there was a thump." He gripped Mariam's arms in fear. Dunga walked into the forest. They heard an exclamation of shock before he walked back into the glade. In his arms was Ozuma._

"_Ozuma!" The brother and sister cried out as one, rushing towards their unconscious captain. Dunga laid him down by the fire and pulled off his shirt. Mariam and Dunga looked at each other and Mariam covered Joseph's eyes._

"Stop playing with my mind!" Mariam screamed, tears running down her cheeks. She dropped to her knees, sobbing.

"Mariam!" Ozuma yelled. Max gawped at the normally strong blader.

"Please… Sharkrash… Just finish it…" She breathed as the blades clashed again.

_Ozuma's vibrant green eyes were closed, he was barely breathing. Mariam checked for a pulse, thankfully, there was one, no matter how weak._

_His chest was just a mess of whip marks. The way his legs flopped made it apparent that at least one of them was broken. His strong arms looked so weak it didn't look like they would ever hold a blade again. His hands were trembling with fatigue. Every time he breathed, his chest rasped, as though every breath could be his last._

_Mariam wrapped her cloaks around his shivering frame and hugged him gently, trying to miss the prominent scars that crisscrossed his thin frame. Ozuma opened his eyes, scared at the touch. When he saw it was Mariam, tears threatening to overflow. Mariam rocked him gently as he began to cry._

"STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Mariam was so scared, so full of pent up anguish, that it scared the stadium. With a final movement, Max knocked Sharkrash out of the stadium and Dunga picked up the sobbing girl, rubbing her back and muttering soothingly in Chinese. Joseph reached for Sharkrash, but Ozuma beat him to it. The green eyed blader stared at Max, something very like anger in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head and walked back to his team.

"Sis? You ok?" Joseph looked at Mariam, who was leaning on Ozuma, her green eyes closed.

"I'm fine." She whispered. "Be careful. And don't forget to win!" Joseph grinned.

"If you insist!" He gave a mocking bow and Mariam smiled softly. Joseph took a double take and wondered why his sister knew what he had just done.

"I'm your sister, Joseph. I can read your mind." Mariam replied. Ozuma wiggled his fingers in a 'spooky' movement. Joseph rolled his eyes.

"You are so immature!" He mocked, before stepping up to the stadium. Ozuma just snickered and wrapped an arm around Mariam. "跟我的姐妹一起看它！ (1)" He snarled jokingly. Mariam scooted up slightly until her head was resting on her team leader's chest.

"Get a room!" Dunga and Joseph yelled as one.

**Battle 2 – Joseph v Daichi**

"Remember, Daichi! One more win and the game is ours!" Tyson yelled, prancing about like an idiot.

"Don't worry; he'll probably be just as easy as his idiot sister was!" Ray also called.

"Yeah! He'll probably start crying!" Daichi agreed and turned to the stadium, only to be met with the most threatening look he had ever seen.

"Don't you _ever_ talk about my sister like that." Joseph snarled as he released his beyblade into the stadium. "She has been through more in the past year then you will go through in your life. She's one of the bravest people I know, and the very strongest. She's been all the family I ever need, and it's no surprise that sometimes things can get on top of her!"

"Sheesh!" Daichi threw up his hands. "Somebody needs a break!" Joseph narrowed his green eyes angrily as the memories threatened to overcome him.

"_Joseph!" Joseph spun around, almost dropping the knife and half-skinned rabbit he was holding. "Can you do it any quieter? Ozuma hasn't been to sleep for days!"_

"_Too late." Ozuma turned over, his green eyes glimmering in the fire light. "I was awake before, honest, Mariam. You don't need to fuss over me!" He protested half-heartedly, as she stroked his hair tenderly._

"_EWW! Look, I don't know what turns you on, but my sister and my team captain is not on my list!" Joseph protested. Ozuma flushed slightly and Mariam chased after him, brandishing the saucepan. Joseph soon discovered that running, laughing and looking behind was generally not something you could do at the same time, as he ran into Dunga._

"_Excellent! Dunga, hold him still!" Mariam cackled. Dunga turned the small boy upside down, shaking him slightly. Ozuma pushed the quilt away and reached for his home-made crutches, propelling himself forward._

"_I wanna join!" He smiled slightly, the first time in ages. And then he poked Joseph in the stomach with a crutch._

"Oh joy. Now _I_ have to share my memories with the rest of the world. Fun fun." Joseph snapped, shaking back his hair.

"Don't think I want to see them!" Daichi replied.

"Vanishing Moot!"

"_She really likes you." Joseph said, as the two boys clambered over the rocks that surrounded the lake._

"_Who?" Ozuma narrowly escaped falling into the said lake. "Mariam?"_

"_Do I know any other girls? Let's see… there's Hilary, the foghorn with a skirt on, Queen, the demon in human form and… Salima… who I've barely spoken to. Yes Mariam!"_

"_I really like her." Ozuma admitted, perching on one of the rocks._

"_Not like… not like that… she really **likes** you… yeah, like that." Joseph smirked as a look of dawning comprehension passed over his captain's face._

"_Really?"_

"_Don't mess with my sister, Ozuma. If I ever see her upset because of something you've done… I'll… I'll kill you."_

"You're one pleasant guy." Daichi sneered. Joseph flushed slightly.

"Hey, you try being the man of the house when everyone is ogling your sister!" Joseph snapped back. "Vanishing Moot! Great Rock!"

_Joseph leant back on his sister's knees as he watched the fire. All the Saint-Shields had a fascination with fire, no matter how big. He turned his head slightly, so he could see all of his team. Mariam was in the middle, with Ozuma next to her. The captain was almost asleep, his head on Mariam's shoulder. Dunga was on the other side, an arm around Mariam. Only since they had been cast out had they allowed themselves to get so close, before that, none of them had shown any feelings for another, with the exception of the brother and sister, who occasionally would. _

"_Come on, Joseph. Time for bed." Mariam smiled, standing up, supporting a sleepy Ozuma. Joseph stood up, pulling a blanket further around his shoulders. Ozuma curled up in his bed, like a cat, or a leopard. Dunga stayed, watching the fire and Joseph knelt down, trying to make up his bed to the way he liked it. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he looked up to see his sister. "Share?" She asked, holding out a hand. Joseph nodded emphatically and wriggled in beside his sister._

_As he drifted off to sleep, he wished they could stay that way forever._

"Finish him off!" Joseph yelled and Daichi gawped as Strata Dragoon was catapulted out of the dish. "Told you not to talk about my sister like that." He smirked. "It only made me angry and, when I get angry, I get strangely good at blading."

"All you had to do was wear him down!" Tyson yelled, yet again prancing around like an idiot. "And, what do you do? Get him angry and lose!"

"Just shut up Tyson!" Max snapped. "What Mariam said was right! Since Kai left, we've become enemies. Oddly enough, Kai seemed to be the person who was keeping us as friends, even though he barely spoke two words to us! I know we'll never be as close as the Saint-Shields, or Blitzkrieg Omega, we haven't been through half as much as those guys have, but we were friends. I don't know why, but we've split."

"Shut up Max!" Ray growled uncomfortably.

"No, Ray. He's right." Hilary said, staring at him with large brown eyes. "We've split since your battle against Bryan. Max is holding a bit of a grudge, but you certainly didn't help things by attacking Bryan. Can't we just… forgive and forget?" Under the watchful eye of Hilary, the American and the Chinese shook hands.

"Good luck, Tyson." They chorused.

Ozuma gently tapped Mariam on the top of the head. She looked up, moving off his chest to look him in the eye.

"It's your match now, right?" She said quietly. He nodded, giving her a quick hug. Dunga cleared his throat.

"Good luck Ozuma." He said pointedly. Joseph nodded his agreement. Mariam grinned and ruffled his hair. Ozuma wriggled away and stepped up to the dish.

"Ozuma!" The captain turned around in surprise. Mariam ran up to the stadium. "I just wanted to say… Good luck." With that, the bluenette captured his lips gently, and Ozuma stiffened, slightly stunned at the contact. Mariam broke away. "I'm sorry… I just…" She shook her head and walked away. Ozuma placed a finger on his lips in shock.

"Ozuma?" Tyson waved a hand impatiently. Ozuma blinked.

"Sorry. Let's get this battle underway, shall we?" Ozuma launched his beyblade into the dish, memories spinning through his brain.

_Ozuma opened his eyes, not sure of where he was. His legs, arms and chest hurt more than they did the day before. He was aware of a pair of arms encircling him, keeping him safe. Unused as he was to physical contact, he completely trusted the person who was holding him… wait, it was Mariam! The previous days events flooded back into his mind, making his head hurt as he thought about it. The girl murmured in her sleep and he turned his glance to her much loved face. Her green eyes were closed, her long eyelashes prominent against her ivory skin. Her blue hair lay free beside her, the slightest kink in it from the ponytail she usually held it in. Across one side of her heart-shaped face was a vivid red scar that would have marred the beauty of the face for anyone but Ozuma. He frowned, regretting more than ever being away. The murmuring grew louder and Ozuma began to pick out words of the nightmare she was having. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her closer, whilst with the other, he stroked her long hair. Ozuma closed his eyes again, willing his mind blank._

"Perfect. Why do the memories that you see have to be mine? And have to be that… special?" Ozuma groaned, running a hand through his spiked hair.

"If you want, I'll close my eyes!" Tyson offered. "I'm not the biggest fan of romance films, and this is beginning to feel like one!"

"Say anything and I will hunt you down!" Ozuma growled.

"Aww… Who would have thought that Ozuma had feelings? Especially for-"

"FLASH LEOPARD! CROSS FIRE!"

"_Hello Ozuma." Ozuma stopped dead, his heart in his mouth. "You're looking better than the last time I saw you." Ozuma balled the hand that wasn't holding the crutch into a fist._

"_You were the one that put me into the state I was last time!" he growled._

"_Tut tut… I thought I'd taught you better than that." The elder chuckled, stepping into the clearing. Ozuma looked around frantically, but his team members were out hunting and collecting firewood. He cursed himself for not have gone with them._

"_Just… leave me alone! Leave us alone! You've cast us out the village, what more can we do in relation to you? This isn't part of the village, you can't…" Ozuma trailed off. "You are, aren't you? You're here to kill me!"_

"_Perceptive. I'm impressed, you appear to have acquired the gift of reading minds." The elder drew his sword. "Do you recognise this sword, Ozuma? Oh no, you wouldn't. You were a coward and ran off. If you hadn't, you'd recognise this sword as the one that scarred pretty young Mariam!" Ozuma shook with suppressed rage, but kept still. The key to this was to wait it out… "I wonder, who will marry the slut now? It will have to be you, or Dunga. No one else would want to marry such a little whore…" Ozuma threw caution to the winds._

"_Shut your face!" He screamed. "Don't you dare talk about her like that!" Ozuma launched himself at the elder, broken leg or no broken leg. Although the boy was several inches smaller than the elder, he certainly had the element of surprise as he tackled the older man to the floor. But he was soon pushed aside in the fury of the fight, and the elder was on top of him, his sword drawn._

"_I'm going to enjoy this…" The elder hissed, beginning to push the sword down over Ozuma's heart. Ozuma's eyes bulged as he tried to suppress the cry of pain that was racking his body. Eventually, though, he just had to scream…_

Ozuma pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked at the Japanese boy. The smirk had been wiped off Tyson's face as the scream echoed in his ears. He was having problems connecting the tortured scream with the focused blader. Ozuma smirked.

"Yeah, that was why we were so desperate to take the four sacred bitbeasts. That was the welcome we got instead." His green eyes glimmered as he looked at Tyson, almost as if he could see into his mind. Tyson could feel his blood pressure rising angrily.

"Dragoon! Galaxy Turbo Twister!"

"_Ozuma! Wake up! We're here!" Joseph stared out the window as the plane landed. "We're back in Japan!"_

"_We'll be safe here." Mariam sighed. "No elders to try and stop us… we can start again." Joseph and Dunga walked on ahead, to give Ozuma and Mariam some privacy._

"_You think too much." Ozuma growled, helping her out of the plane. He picked up her bag and held it just out of her reach._

"_Give me my bag back!" Mariam snapped playfully, reaching for it. Ozuma jumped back a step._

"_Nope!" His green eyes sparkled with health and happiness as he teasingly held it out of her reach again. She stepped forwards and grabbed his wrist, being careful not to split any of the scars. She pulled him forward, until they were looking at each other closely. Their eyes met and Mariam tilted her head slightly, as Ozuma began to move forwards… They were mere millimetres away from each other when Joseph cleared his throat, and Dunga followed, dragging several bags behind him._

Tyson flinched as Dragoon went whizzing past his ear.

"But… how?" He breathed in shock. Ozuma smirked.

"Guess you aren't as good as you thought you were!" He walked down the steps to where his team were standing. Joseph was dancing around him, babbling in his excitement, Dunga was almost jumping up and down in excitement… Only Mariam seemed slightly off put, but she offered her congratulations readily enough, and pulled Ozuma into a friendly hug. As they drew apart, he seized his chance and planted a kiss on her cherubic lips. Mariam stared at him, her colour rising. Ozuma grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the corridor, where they could talk freely.

"But… I thought…"

"That I didn't like you? Gods, Mariam. I **love** you! Want me to shout it out to the whole world?" Mariam flushed as Ozuma drew closer again, but this time she was ready…

_Ooer… That chapter was unabashedly romantic and very focusing on the Saint-Shields… Yet again, I've strayed off track… oh well, Ozuma/Mariam is practically the only pairing I actually like on beyblade, that and Kane/Salima. Every other pairing ends up being with an OC… I guess King/Julia doesn't count!_

_(1) – Keep your hands off my sister! I think…_


End file.
